Dovewing's Choice
by Splashpaw
Summary: Tigerheart and his brother,Raggedtail,both join ThunderClan to be with Dovewing.Tigerheart loves her,but Raggedtail loves her too. When she makes her choice, one of the toms is exiled from ThunderClan, and collects rogues to have his revenge on the camp.His rogues attack again and again.Will he be caught and killed or will the Clans die at his claws?I stink at summaries...
1. Chapter 1

**I'm new to this fanfiction; I just signed up today! My computer overcorrects things(I suppose all the warrior cats' names will be underlined with red print even though it won't show to you guys) but I'll try and make sure I don't misspell anything! Reviewiers: You are welcome to make comments on my spelling to help me, but I'll do my best! (Okay, now my computer's saying I spelled fanfiction wrong. And reviewers wrong. Hmmm…)**

**I don't own Warriors, but then if I did this wouldn't be a fanfiction.**

**Okay. My brothers have been asking me: Who should be Dovewing's mate ?And my friends seem to think Bumblestripe should be her mate. That doesn't make sense.I'll tell you why(you can disagree, but please do not be rude) . It's because she seems to like Tigerheart .Then,in Night Whispers, Tigerheart tells Blackstar about Jayfeather's herbs. So Dovewing tries getting close to Bumblestripe instead. Here's my problem with that: she doesn't even like Bumblestripe. Okay,I see it all,loyalty to her Clan. But Dovewing would be better off without a mate than with a cat she doesn't even like. I'm probably annoying you all with my nonstop chitchat. Okay,here goes. . . . Oh wait,one more is after the Great Battle.**

It was raining. Thunder crackled in the sky. Dovewing blinked the rainwater out of her blue eyes. Bumblestripe padded over to her.

"The prey's all hidden in their holes. What do you say we head back to camp?" he mewed, giving her a lick on the cheek. Dovewing pulled away.

"You can go back to camp. I'll see if I can catch anything.I'll be back before you can say 'fresh-kill!'See you back at camp!" she meowed .

"Okay," Bumblestripe meowed with a sigh,then turned and headed towards camp."See you then!"

As soon as he was gone,Dovewing sniffed the air. Bumblestripe was right. There was no prey to be found. She sighed.

"Why is it that on the soggiest mornings there's never any prey to be found?"she grumbled.

"Hey!Dovewing!There you are!"

"Tigerheart?" she mewed. She sniffed the border. _Yeah, it is him, _she thought._Come on out Tigerheart, I know you're there!_

"Dovewing!I was just thinking….you know, the Great Battle is over. . . .I ,um. . . ." Tigerheart trailed off.

"What?" Dovewing asked. _You're not thinking of mating me, are you?Not when you're in ShadowClan?!_

"Okay,I need to get this out. I want to join ThunderClan." Tigerheart looked at his paws.

"You'll see why in a moment. Let me tell you. Tawnypelt had a kit before the Great Battle. He really likes you, even though he's never met you - he saw you in the Great Battle .I think he'll try to mate you. . . And after I saw all the Dark Forest cats he killed, I started wondering if he would do that to get to you." Tigerheart took a deep breath.

"And I love you Dovewing. That's why I want to join."

"You'd do that for me?" Dovewing mewed. She looked at her paws, too, and the moment started to drag out. _You'd leave your Clan, your kin… all for me?_

"Yes, Dovewing. I would do anything for you." Tigerheart blinked."I would jump off a cliff for you, fight ten badgers for you. . .even fight StarClan for you."

"We'll talk about this at the Gathering tonight. One more thing- who's this cat's name?" Dovewing meowed.

"Raggedtail," Tigerheart answered promptly.

**Sorry that was really short. The computer's really hot(it's always hot in the summer)so I have to get off before it explodes from the heat. Now let's see how fast I can update!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I DID update early! Just kidding! Sorry guys! But I tend to get lazy sometimes, and when it comes to writing, I am the laziest person you will ever meet. Thanks for all the reviews I'm getting. It's good to know you like the story, since this is my first fanfiction I've written.**

**I made a mistake at the last part of the chapter, and I want to thank littleflower54276408 for telling me about it.**

**What I meant: "Tawnypelt had a kit before the Great Battle."**

**Okay, I know a lot of you want the story, and so I'm probably annoying you with my non-stop chitchat, so here's the story:**

As Dovewing headed home, she still couldn't stop thinking about what Tigerheart had told her about Raggedtail. But as far as she knew, Tigerheart's only brother was Flametail, and he had drowned in the lake. And on top of that, even if Flametail hadn't drowned, she doubted that he would want to be her mate.

_I guess I'd better leave it. He did say Tawnypelt had a kit before the Great Battle, _

Dovewing thought as she headed home. The rain had stopped completely now,and the rainwater was seeping through the branches. Dovewing sniffed the air. She knew she had to come back with prey, or the Clan would ask where'd she'd been. And Dovewing knew she could never find an excuse good enough for being away so long. _Especially since I told Bumblestripe that's what I stayed here for._

There was a faint scent of mouse. She followed it towards a fallen beech tree and saw the furry creature nibbling on one of the beech nuts at the fallen tree. She carefully put one paw in front of the other, making sure she didn't nudge any leaves. As soon as she was close enough, she pounced , and there it was, beneath her paws. It was fatter than she'd expected it, but still thin.

_At least it's big enough to keep the Clan from asking any questions._ Dovewing picked it up and hurried back to camp.

Ivypool greeted her as she entered the camp." You're back," she meowed.

"Yeah. Is Bramblestar letting me come to the Gathering tonight?" Dovewing asked. _Please don't ask why. . ._

But Ivypool knew her too well for that. " There's more than that, isn't there?" she meowed quietly.

Dovewing sighed. There was no hiding this from Ivypool. " Yeah there is,"she meowed. "Just don't tell anyone, okay?"

Ivypool blinked calmly at her. "I'm your sister," she meowed. "You can trust me. Come on, what is it?"

"It's Tigerheart," Dovewing admitted. "He told me he's joining ThunderClan -"

Ivypool tipped her head to one side. "What's wrong with that?"

"That's not what's bothering me," Dovewing meowed. "He told me he has a brother who loves me too."

"But his only brother is Flametail," Ivypool mewed, "and he's in StarClan." Dovewing shrugged.

"I just hope his brother Raggedtail doesn't join too," she muttered. "Besides,I don't even know him. And he doesn't even know me. How could he love me?"

"I don't know," admitted Ivypool. "And yes, you are going to the Gathering tonight. But be quiet or Bramblestar will wonder why we're chattering like a bunch of jackdaws."

"ThunderClan!" Bramblestar mewed. "We're going now. If we wait much longer the other Clans will wonder whatever happened to ThunderClan."

"This will be the first time the Clans have met after the Great Battle," Squirrelflight mewed. "The Clans should be at peace with each other right now."

"Soon Brightheart's and Sorreltail's kits will be apprentices,"Ivypool whispered to Dovewing. "I wonder if we'll get to mentor one of them."

"I won't because I'll be in the nursery," Dovewing mewed.

"I hadn't noticed," Ivypool meowed. "I should be pregnant with Bumblestripe's kits in another two or three moons."

"You're going to be left behind if you don't leave now," Squirrelflight mewed.

"Oops," Ivypool whispered to Dovewing

"I wish I could come," Briarlight mewed. "But no, I'm cooped up in camp now."

"Maybe one day?" meowed Bumblestripe. Briarlight didn't reply, but Dovewing could tell she didn't share she shared her brother's hopefulness.

. . . . . .

A full moon floated above the water, lighting the island. Dovewing breathed in the cool night air. As ThunderClan crossed the tree-bridge, Dovewing heard a cat call, "There they are!"

"Ah,Bramblestar,"Blackstar mewed. "We've been waiting patiently."

Mistystar let out a purr of laughter. "Patiently?I don't think so. You've been going on and on about they wouldn't come. You to Onestar."

_This is how the Clans should be,_ Dovewing thought. _Together and happy but apart... peaceful, too. Just like this._

But one thought still hung in her mind.

_Is Tigerheart here?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Early update for Chapter 3! Here's the new update! I hope you like it! I love the reviews I'm getting.**

**I want to thank Littleflower54276408 and Petalfall11 for the help you've given me on how to post the next chapter. HOW could I forget to use the Doc Manager?LOL**

**Raggedtail's included in this one.**

**I made a bunch of mistakes in the last chapter, due to the computer's over reactive signal. Ok, here's the story.**

Dovewing craned her neck, but before she could make her way over to ShadowClan's side of the clearing, Blackstar started the meeting.

"As you all know, this is the first Gathering since the Great Battle," Blackstar meowed. Mistystar acknowledged this with a dip of her head.

"The fish are returning to the edge of the lake," Mistystar meowed. "RiverClan is well."

"WindClan has two new warriors: Crouchpaw and Larkpaw are now Crouchfoot and Larkwing," Onestar mewed.

"Crouchfoot! Larkwing!" the Clans called out.

Dovewing blinked. _The Clans are at peace with each other now, _she thought._ I hope it will last._

"ShadowClan did not lose any warriors," Blackstar meowed. "We are well." Bumblestripe leaned towards Ivypool.

"What about Redwillow?" he whispered.

"Redwillow wasn't exactly a loss to ShadowClan, if you ask me," Sandstorm mewed."He was in the Dark Forest too long, I'd expect."

"That's not fair," Bumblestripe mewed, flicking his tail at Ivypool. "She's not a traitor! She risked her life for the Clans!"

Dovewing leaned towards Ivypool. "I see you have an overprotective mate," she whispered. Ivypool shook her head.

"He was defending Blossomfall earlier," Ivypool mewed.

"Good, good" Dovewing mewed distractedly, craning her neck further. Was Tigerheart's dark tabby fur anywhere among the jumble of pelts? She couldn't see him.

"ThunderClan is well." Bramblestar rose to speak. "Sadly, we lost one of our warriors, queens, and also lost our leader. Hollyleaf, Ferncloud, Mousefur, and Firestar have gone to hunt with StarClan."

"I'm sorry to hear it, Bramblestar," Onestar meowed.

"So who is ThunderClan's deputy now?" a dark brown, ragged tabby tom called. "Surely you have to appoint a new deputy!"

Dovewing had little doubt who the speaker was. _Raggedtail. _He looked almost exactly like Tigerheart, with his dark tabby fur and amber eyes. _Yeah, I think that's who he is._

"Raggedtail, you're insulting ShadowClan by doing this!" Rowanclaw growled. "Warriors don't speak here!"

"Squirrelflight is ThunderClan's deputy," Bramblestar growled, raking the clearing with a furious gaze. Squirrelflight dipped her head to Bramblestar.

"RiverClan has two new apprentices," Mistystar mewed. "Rushpaw and Silverpaw are apprenticed to Hollowflight **(not to insult you or anything; I know what Hollowflight did before the Great Battle, I know it wasn't good, but I liked Hollowflight in the beginning. Also, considering ThunderClan was the only Clan who didn't have traitors, I think I'll just alter this a bit; after all, it is a fanfiction) **and Mossyfoot."

"Cherrypaw and Molepaw are warriors and are now Cherryfrost and Moleflight,"Bramblestar meowed.

"Any more news to report?" Onestar mewed.

"None from RiverClan," Mistystar meowed.

"ShadowClan is finished," Blackstar said.

"Then the Gathering is over," Bramblestar replied.

Dovewing let out a sigh of relief. Ivypool stretched beside her. "That was long!" Dovewing padded away, toward ShadowClan's edge of the clearing. She still hadn't seen Tigerheart, and it would be time to leave soon. She tripped over a tree root and got up to see a dark ,ragged, tabby tom.

_Raggedtail. _Dovewing blinked._ Mouse-dung. I can't walk away now._

"I'm Raggedtail," the tabby warrior meowed. "You don't know me; I was born before the Great Battle."

"Yes. . ."Dovewing mewed. "Tigerheart told me about you."

"Tigerheart?" Raggedtail snorted. "You don't seriously want to mate him, do you?"

"Why not?He's a good warrior -"

"You'd be breaking the warrior code if you mated him!" Raggedtail exclaimed.

Dovewing rolled her eyes. "I'd be breaking the code if I mated with you too," she retorted

"No, you wouldn't," Raggedtail meowed. "Not if I joined ThunderClan for you."

Dovewing froze. _Oh, StarClan,no! Not you!_

Raggedtail tipped his head to one side. "What's the matter? I'm joining for you. What do you want?"

_I don't want you to join, _Dovewing thought. Aloud she mewed, "You can't do that!"

"Why not?" Raggedtail asked. "I love you And I want to be with you! Even if I have to be a prisoner of ThunderClan to do it."

Dovewing worked her claws impatiently in the ground. "No! The last thing we need is a ShadowClan cat to be held prisoner in our camp. Don't you think the Clans should be left in peace for now?"

Raggedtail's amber eyes flashed. "I have to! I must join! For you!" He pressed his body close to her. Dovewing wanted to pull away, but as she did, a familiar dark brown tabby head popped out from the brambles.

_Tigerheart!_ Alarm flashed through her.

"Dovewing, I wanted to ask you -" he trailed off when he saw her with Raggedtail..


	4. Chapter 4

**WHEE!I DID update early!**

**Chapter 4 is here! Chapter 5 is on its way! **

**Okay, I need names for Dovewing's kits. The limit is seven, because seven is a seventh kit will probably die during its birth, so if my reviewers post six kits and then one reviewer posts a seventh kit, make sure you don't get too attached to it,because seven is a lot, and I might have to make it die during birth.**

**However,if you **_**do**_** get attached to a certain kit and he/she dies during birth, just tell me he/she's your favorite and I'll make sure he/she shows up in StarClan in the following chapters.**

**Okay, you want the story, now I'll just shut up and let you read.**

Dovewing stared at Tigerheart and he stared back. Tigerheart had caught her rubbing with Raggedtail during a was staring at her at that very moment. _Fox-dung!_

She struggled to keep her voice steady. "Tigerheart I can explain -"

"Explain what? Why you were rubbing around with another tom behind my back?" he meowed. "Dovewing. . ." Tigerheart trailed off and padded off into the brush.

Dovewing watched him go before rounding on Raggedtail. "This is all your fault!" she snapped at him. "This never would've happened if you didn't start rubbing on me like that."

Raggedtail held her gaze steadily. "You could have moved away from me faster. The dumb furball deserved it."

Dovewing lashed her tail. "You don't understand!" she snarled. She darted towards Tigerheart. "Don't do that again!" she hissed at Raggedtail before vanishing into the brush after extended her senses and found him behind a willow tree, looking into the lake.

Her ears twitched uncomfortably as she stepped towards him. "Tigerheart , I'm sorry," she began. She looked into the water and saw what he was looking at. In the Great Battle,

Tigerheart had got a scar. It started on the side of his cheek and ran down to his neck.

"I never knew what it looked like," he mewed quietly. "I never knew why cats looked at me strangely. I didn't know it was that bad."

"What were you doing in the brush anyway?" Tigerheart mewed.

"Telling him not to join ThunderClan," she mewed simply.

"You're mine,"a voice whispered from the bushes. Dovewing whipped around but she couldn't locate the voice.

Dovewing was back at camp sharing a squirrel with Ivypool and Bumblestripe**(Ivypool's mate is Bumblestripe)**.Tigerheart had joined ThunderClan the night of the Gathering.

"What's going on between you two?" Tigerheart teased them.

Ivypool stiffened. "Nothing!" she snapped. Bumblestripe gave her a lick on the cheek and she froze again,her face in shock; and Dovewing had to supress her laughter.

"Oh nothing, is it?" she mewed.

The three of them burst out laughing.

Ivypool gave Bumblestripe a cuff around his ears and he laughed. "Hey! You're the one who said his to me while I was talking with Berrynose and Mouswhisker! That was so embarrassing!"

They all burst out laughing again.

Suddenly, a cat stepped a paw into camp. Brightheart was in the lead. Her half-scarred face was grim and serious. Lionblaze came in the back. His teeth were still bared in a furious snarl.

Brackenfur and Hazeltail were at the back. They also had grim faces. Dovewing looked over at Thornclaw who had lifted his nose to sniff the air. His ears pricked up. "I smell Shadowclan!" he announced.

Dovewing's heart skipped a beat. "ShadowClan?"

Then the realization hit her. "Oh Starclan, no…" She looked at Tigerheart who was staring furiously at the cat that came through the ThunderClan entrance.


	5. Chapter 5

**All right, I hope this isn't late for you guys. I've been busy all week, so it's hard to get here to do my fanfiction. It's my first(as you can see if you view my profile)fan fiction. Glad you like it!**

**Flamewing - **

**Yes Raggedtail is younger than Dovewing.**

**Oh well. This chapter might not show Dovewing having her kits, it's not a soppy one (I don't like soppy stuff)either,but still, if you don't read it, the other chapters won't make much scents(he he get it) to you. It's about how Raggedtail joins ThunderClan.**

**I fixed my previous chapters, so the mistakes won't be there any more.**

**Oh wait, I have a question for you all before I start: How do you upload the picture onto your profile? Ok now I'll shut up and let you read.**

Bramblestar leaped down the tumble of rocks from Highledge. Squirrelflight landed beside him.

"Brightheart. Lionblaze. Report. What is he doing here?" Bramblestar meowed. Brightheart spoke first.

"We were hunting and he walked up to us. . .no aggression," she meowed. "We asked him the same thing. He said he would tell that to Bramblestar."

Lilykit and Seedkit raced over to them.

"ShadowClan's attacking!" Lilykit mewed. Seedkit bared her teeth in a pretend snarl.

"Get out of our territory!" meowed Seedkit. Sorreltail hurried over to her kits.

"Bramblestar's not playing," she told her kits. "Why don't you go play with Ferncloud's kits?"

Seedkit looked at her mother in protest. "But Shadowclan are attacking!" she protested. Sorreltail shooed her kits back into the nursery.

"I don't care," she mewed. "Go play with them."

Dovewing stared at Raggedtail. She looked to her side. Ivypool and Bumblestripe were whispering together in hushed voices. Tigerheart had left her side. She was so busy concentrating on her side that she missed Bramblestar's reply. Raggedtail was speaking now.

"I have come to ThunderClan. Tigerheart is my brother and I now have kin I want to be with," he meowed.

"Kin you want to be with?" echoed Bramblestar. "But I am your only kin in this Clan!"

Raggedtail flicked his tail to Tigerheart, who was now muttering something into Bumblestripe's ear.

"Oh, your brother," Bramblestar meowed. "I _see_."

"I think it might be worth mentioning that Tawnypelt has kin in this Clan, but her loyalty to ShadowClan never wavered," Bumblestripe meowed.

_Tigerheart must've asked him to say that, _Dovewing realized.

Brambleclaw ignored Bumblestripe. "No, I refuse. Go back to your own ,escort him to the border.

"Wait!" Raggedtail meowed, still looking at Brambleclaw. "I have told my Clan I am leaving. They have sent me into exile. I am sure ThunderClan does not want to be known as the Clan who -"

"Very well," Bramblestar meowed. "But you will stand vigil tonight. I want to make sure you are loyal to the Clan."

Dovewing yowled inside her head.Why was Bramblestar letting Raggedtail stay here,

why? The last thing she needed was Raggedtail treading on her tail while she hunted with Tigerheart or patrolled with her family.

"Dovewing,you go with him. If he goes anywhere near the ShadowClan border I want to know about it," Bramblestar meowed. Squirrelflight went on organizing the patrols.

_Why me?_But she knew why. Because of her hearing.

Dovewing caught up with Raggedtail. He shot to her side, pressing against her.

"You're beautiful," he murmured

Dovewing pulled away from him. "Why did you come to ThunderClan?" she hissed. "I told you not to!"

Raggedtail held her gaze. " Somecat once told me. . .if you love someone you will do anything for them. Even switch Clans." He padded closer. "So that's what I did for you."

Dovewing frowned. Raggedtail might have joined her Clan for her,but Tigerheart had, too. She shrugged and walked on.

It was moonhigh. Dovewing stretched and shifted in her nest, unable to sleep. Raggedtail was curled up next to Bumblestripe. She got up and shook Tigerheart beside her. He yawned and stumbled to his paws.

"What is it, Dovewing?" he mumbled.

"I. . .um. . .I wanted to ask you. . ." She looked down. This was harder than she thought.

Tigerheart looked at her expectantly. "Yes?"

"Raggedtail is trying to get closer to me. . ."Dovewing searched for the right words. "I just wanted to let you know that even if I have to . ..well. . .you know. . ."

Tigerheart was barely awake. "Yeah. . ." he meowed.

"Are you asleep?"

His amber eyes shot open wide. "Is that a trick question?"

Dovewing shook her head. "No silly! I just wanted to know if ..um… would you jump off a cliff for me?"_ StarClan help me. . .I sound so feather-brained._

Tigerheart looked confused. "Yeah, but I told you this before, remember? Before I joined ThunderClan."

"Oh ,yeah…." Dovewing curled up closer to him. "Sorry, Tigerheart," she meowed. Tigerheart looked at her.

"I'm not annoyed," he meowed calmly. "But you know that already."

The next morning, Dovewing woke to find Tigerheart's nest was empty. She spotted Ivypool and Bumblestripe sharing tongues a few fox-lengths away and hurried over to join them.

"Where's Tigerheart?" she meowed. Bumblestripe looked up from grooming a knot in his tail.

"Raggedtail, him, and Icecloud have gone out hunting," Ivypool meowed.

"With Raggedtail? I don't think that was a good idea. Tigerheart isn't the best around Raggedtail."

"Ask Squirrrelflight," Bumblestripe mewed.

Ivypool glanced at Dovewing. "I know he didn't join because of his kin. Why, he has more kin in ShadowClan, and he could just see Tigerheart and Bramblestar at Gatherings." Bumblestripe started grooming Ivypool's tail.

"He joined because of you. Didn't he?"

"Keep your voice down!" Dovewing hissed. Then she nodded. "I told him not to but he wouldn't listen."

"I saw you with him," confessed Ivypool. "When Bramblestar told you to watch him."

"I know,Ivypool, I felt so like a traitor. But he looked so like Tigerheart and I just. . ."

"So you left?" Ivypool concluded.

"I left and told Tigerheart about it," Dovewing meowed.

"I understand," Ivypool mewed. "It was just too much for you."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey! I'm back, guys! When I update sooner, I have less reviews. :/ I'm really getting into this story!**

**Littleflower54276408 - thank you for the kits' names and thank you for telling me how to upload a picture for my profile.**

**Logical Illiogical - critism is welcome(I'm not being sarcastic; just look at the mistakes I made in this chapter before I fixed it) . I really should check my work before I post it.(My computer Auto Corrector's saying I spelled critism wrong. Hmmm. . .)**

**Rrrgh, I hate the new review system. If you're a guest, from now on put on a name you wish to go by.**

**Guest - I don't understand. "Pooh" what? ?**

**Guest 2 - I don't mean to be rude or mean or anything, but if you don't like that Dovewing's mate isn't Bumblestripe, then search the web for another fanfic. There are plenty of fan fictions where his mate is Dovewing. If you don't like my suggestions then send me hate reviews (DARN YOU AUTO CORRECTOR!).**

**Believe - I'm not angry, but on your second review you posted that says Mapleshade should be evil, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to do that. However, I can make her warrior name Mapleleaf.**

**Pumpkin fur - I just felt bad for Mapleshade. If anyone should've gone to the Dark Forest it should've been her stupid mate.**

**Sandpelt - I know, but it just seemed weird to make her mate Bumblestripe, because as I said in Ch. 1, she doesn't even like Bumblestripe.**

**JessieParker -Yes**

**Okay, I'm not sure if you care if I talk all day since there are more timely updates to keep you busy, but before I do anything of the kind I have to remember there are lots more reviewers than there were when I first posted this.**

**Well I could talk and talk and talk until you send me hate mail. But I don't want to.**

**Enjoy! :D**

Icecloud flicked her tail at Tigerheart and Raggedtail. "I'll head towards the ShadowClan border," she mewed. "You can hunt where you want. It'll probably be better if we split up, though." With that, she headed towards the border.

"Bad choice," Tigerheart murmured, pointing with his tail at a squirrel. He then dropped into a hunting crouch. As soon as he got within a mouse-tail length away from it, Raggedtail broke the needed silence.

"What kind of a hunting crouch is that?" he meowed loudly. The squirrel fled into a tree. Tigerheart jumped after it and flung himself into the tree, but the squirrel had already reached the branches.

"Mouse-dung!" Tigerheart spat.

Raggedtail sighed as if he were trying to catch it himself. Tigerheart turned on his littermate, bristling.

"What did you do that for? That squirrel was so fat it could have fed five of us!"

Raggedtail shrugged. "Well if it was so fat and heavy why couldn't you catch it? You're really terrible at hunting."

"ShadowClan cats don't rely on being fast and you know it!" Tigerheart snapped. "Anyway, if you're so great at hunting why don't you do better?"

"With pleasure," Raggedtail sneered. He hurried over to the lakeshore where it was marshy.

Tigerheart followed him. He could hear birds chittering in the trees but Raggedtail was uninterested in any of them. Raggedtail drew himself up into a hunting crouch. Tigerheart was tempted to do the same thing Raggedtail had done to him, but kept quiet. ragged tail prepared to pounce. Tigerheart stayed silent. Whatever his brother was hunting would feed the Clan and however much he disliked Raggedtail's attitude towards him prey was prey.

Suddenly Raggedtail lunged forward and a dead frog hung in his jaws.

"That's how you're supposed to do it," he boasted.

"ThunderClan don't eat frog mouse-brain. They eat birds, mice, squirrels, vole, but no frog," Tigerheart mewed. "But you and me can share it when we come back."

Raggedtail shrugged. "Whatever. ThunderClan wouldn't eat frogs if they were staring to death."

"True," Tigerheart agreed reluctantly.

"Okay, mouse-brain, now you can go and hunt," Raggedtail told him briefly.

They padded back to camp with a pigeon and Raggedtail's frog. There was yowling coming from the medicine den.

"Dovewing's having her kits!" Cherryfrost yowled as she passed them.

**Moons Ago, Spottedleaf's Death**

_Mapleshade scrambled up and turned on the StarClan cat. "Spottedleaf!" she hissed. "Why didn't you let me kill her? She stole Firestar's love from you!"_

_Spottedleaf felt her hackles rise. "There was nothing to steal! Sandstorm made him happy!"_

_Mapleshade lunged at her. Spottedleaf rolled under the warrior's weight, paws flailing as she fell. With a snarl, Mapleshade slashed open the medicine cat's throat._

_Spottedleaf collapsed to the ground. Terror flashed through her. _No! I can't die a second time! What about my promise to Firestar?… _she thought frantically. Oh, StarClan, no… Darkness surrounded her and everything went black._

_Spottedleaf opened her eyes. The world flashed in and out of view. _What in StarClan's name is going on? _she thought groggily. "Where am I?"_

"_You're in StarClan."_

_Spottedleaf looked up. Four cats stared down at her. "Who are you?"_

"_I am Shadowstar," a black she- cat began. "I was the first leader of ShadowClan. The other cats here are Windstar, Thunderstar, and Riverstar."_

"_But I died. . ." Spottedleaf broke off confusedly._ This doesn't make any sense,_ she told herself. She craned her neck further to see who else was there. _Mapleshade? _She bristled and fear shot through her._

_Mapleshade stumbled to her paws. "StarClan fools!" she spat. Her amber gaze met Spottedleaf's. "How…? I _killed_ you."_

"_Yes, and you weren't supposed to, Mapleshade!" Thunderstar's stern meow surprised_

_Spottedleaf. Mapleshade let out a hiss, and her ginger-and-white fur fluffed out, ready for a fight._

"_you were never meant to die a second death, Spottedleaf. Nor were you, Mapleshade," Thunderstar meowed._

"_What about my mate?" hissed Mapleshade. "You stole him from me! And my kits …_

_oh, my kits…"Her mew broke down into a sob. "You stole Silverpaw, Sorrelpaw, and_

_Petalpaw from me!"_

"_That was beyond our control! StarClan cannot shift the paws of fate cats can choose their destiny, but not their fate," Shadowstar meowed. "You were never destined to be evil, Mapleshade. But we could not change the paws of fate."_

"_However much we wanted to," Windstar and Riverstar both added._

_Mapleshade's fur was still fluffed up, although she looked less uncertain now._

"_We can give you a second chance, though," Shadowstar meowed._

"_I accept," Spottedleaf meowed._

"_You will not remember any of your past life," Riverstar warned. "Mapleshade, do you, too, accept this offer?"_

"_I accept," Mapleshade growled._

"_Then when Dovewing gives birth, you will be reborn. Mapleshade," Windstar meowed, "from this moment on you will be known as Maplekit. Spottedleaf, from this day on you will be known as Spottedkit. Lap from the pool, and you will have your new life, all of your past gone."_

_Spottedkit and Maplekit did as they were told. . .and Spottedkit's memory faded into blackness._

**Present Day**

Tigerheart waited outside the nursery, Raggedtail by his side. "Why are you here?" Tigerheart snapped at his brother. "Haven't you got better things to do?"

Raggedtail looked at him, amber eyes on fire. "She's my mate. Of course I'd be waiting for our kits to be born!"

Tigerheart opened his mouth for a sharp retort, but Jayfeather squeezed past them.

"You can come in now," he mewed. "She has eight healthy kits. Two of them are weak though and Dovewing just blacked out for a heartbeat." His blind blue eyes stared into Tigerheart's. Raggedtail hurried right in, but Tigerheart stayed, startled. They were his kits, right? Not Raggedtail's. Dovewing couldn't be traitor, could she? But still, he couldn't shake off the feeling of deep suspicion.

Dovewing opened her eyes. She felt movement and she looked down at her belly. She let out a contented purr. She was the mother of eight healthy kits. But then she saw a kit down at her belly. It wasn't moving. She nudged it with her nose. "Brightheart. . . Daisy…" she meowed nervously to the two queens beside her. "Is this normal?" Dovewing shook her head. It wasn't normal, it couldn't be. The rest of her kits were suckling; this one wasn't.

Brightheart's eye was a pool of misery. "I'm sorry, Dovewing. The last one was the weakest. It died."

Dovewing didn't want to believe that. "Wake up my daughter," she whispered. She nudged the tiny tortioseshell body with her nose. The scent overwhelmed her. It was the unmistakable scent of death.

Raggedtail nudged Dovewing. "Our daughter was a brave one," he mewed. Dovewing was startled.

"This is Tigerheart's daughter!" she snarled. Grief made her sharp-tongued. "Stop acting as if you know everything because you don't, okay? Leave me alone!"

"She's grieving," Daisy murmured.

Raggedtail nodded in understanding. "She doesn't know what she's talking about," he muttered.

_Yes I do, _she thought furiously.

Tigerheart pushed in. _The real father._ "Our daughter died," Dovewing meowed. He pressed against her comfortingly.

"Should we give her a name on her way to StarClan?" he meowed. Dovewing nodded. "How about Petalkit?" she asked.

"The gray tabby she-kit can be Featherkit," Tigerheart mewed. "And the dark gray tom-kit can be Stormkit." Dovewing blinked and dudged a silver tabby she-kit. "How about Silverkit?" she mewed encouragingly. "The black tom-kit with a white paw can be Ravenkit." Tigerheart purred. "What you like I like."

"Nettlekit," Dovewing mewed, nudging the dark brown tabby tom-kit, "and this tortioseshell can be Spottedkit. The ginger-and-white kit can be Maplekit."

"Featherkit, Stormkit, Silverkit, raven kit, Nettlekit, Spottedkit, and Maplekit, welcome to ThunderClan," Dovewing whispered.

**I had to make petal kit die because eight was a lot. Don't worry, she shows up multiple times in the following chapters… (well, **_**maybe**_** not Ch. 7). . .**


	7. Chapter 7

**Oh. Oh my. 38 reviews. You guys must really like this story!**

**Sorry for the late update! We had to go to the library, so yeah, it's kinda late, but finally, here's the story! **

**Oh wait. I do hate answering the reviews, but I've been doing it for to long to quit, so I'll just be quick.**

**Hollypaw(guest) - huh? :/**

**Blosomstripe(guest) - what makes Tigerheart a twit?**

**Darkheart, and BumblexDovefan(guests) - I just don't care for BumblexDove fanfics. It's weird that Dovewing would choose Bumblestripe over Tigerheart. I like Bumblestripe, but him and Dovewing just don't mix. I have NO intention of hurting your feelings. All people have their own opinion, even if it differs from others'. ****J**

**Goldencloud - I'm not offended. Everyone has their own opinion. BTW, did you know Bumblestripe had a crush on Ivypool as an apprentice? J**

**Poor Raggedtail … but then there was someone who wanted Mapleshade to be evil, and I said no, so I'm making it up to him/her.**

**And since I haven't already done so….**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors; Erin Hunter does.**

**Okay, well, since I'm probably annoying you with my chitchatter, now I'll just shut up and let you read.**

Dovewing stretched and got to her paws. It was two moons since she had her kits. Nettlekit had mastered the hunters' crouch. Maplekit was a little fighter already and could beat all her littermates in a play-fight. Spottedkit always had her nose in jay feather's den. Dovewing looked down. Silverkit and Ravenkit were tumbling around her paws, while Featherkit and Stormkit were arguing with Lilykit and Seedkit over who was the best jumper. Dovewing looked across the clearing. Raggedtail had finished his mouse and was heading across the clearing towards her.

"Hi Dovewing." Raggedtail's mew surprised her. Her fur prickled with unease. Ever since her kits had been born he had tried to get closer and it was working. His intense amber eyes stared into hers.

"Hi," she replied.

"I miss ShadowClan," he murmured. Dovewing backed away from him. "Dovewing, do you think they miss me?"

Dovewing bristled in irritation. "If you miss them so much then go back to ShadowClan!" she snapped. "I didn't ask you to come to ThunderClan; it was _your _decision to join and get close to me!"

As she spoke, the pre-dawn patrol padded through the thorn barrier. Ivypool, her belly round with kits, hurried over to greet Bumblestripe.

"How was the pre-dawn patrol?"she nuzzled her mate. Bumblestripe purred with amusement.

"It was cold. With leaf-bare coming we should keep the fresh-kill pile stocked." he mewed. Dovewing picked her way across the clearing to Tigerheart.

"How was your first patrol?" she teased.

"Cold," he replied. "Where are the ki-" he was cut off as Maplekit and Nettlekit barreled into his side. Silverkit, Ravenkit, Featherkit, Stormkit, and Spottedkit race across the clearing.

"I chased a mouse into the brambles today," Nettlekit boasted, sliding off his father.

Tigerheart cuffed Maplekit over her ear. "Did you catch it?"

Nettlekit looked at his paws. "No." Maplekit plopped down beside him.

"Never mind, you will next time." The dark tabby kit brightened.

Dovewing nuzzled with Tigerheart and then turned to smooth a tuft of fur on Spottedkit's head. She flashed a glance at Raggedtail. His amber eyes were blazing with anger. Her fur prickled with satisfaction. That showed him!

Seedkit and Lilykit raced across the clearing. Seedkit prodded Featherkit in the side.

"Come on, Featherkit! You've still got to prove who can jump higher!" Featherkit shoved Seedkit back.

"I'll come when Stormkit comes," she grumbled. Seedkit rolled her over and the two kits tumbled about on the dusty ground.

"Seedkit!" Sorreltail called. "Get off of her. Featherkit's younger than you, don't forget."

As Seedkit slid off Featherkit, Sorreltail turned to Dovewing. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "They get so restless when Brightheart's kits take their nap."

"Spottedkit, I'm busy! Get out of my den!" Jayfeather's irritated meow sounded from outside the medicine cat den and a moment later Spottedkit came tumbling out.

"Hey!" hissed Ravenkit. They all looked at him.

"What?" they mewed. Ravenkit sighed and opened his mouth but then Bramblestar yowled from the Highledge.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting!" he yowled. Sorreltail flung herself onto Seedkit. "

"Bramblestar, you can't do this! I've had no warning!" she began licking frantically at Seedkit's pelt anywhere she could reach. Seedkit tried to pull away. "Leave me alone!"

"But you're _filthy_!" Sorreltail meowed. Brackenfur nudged her from behind.

"Leave them. If she wants to be apprenticed with sand in her fur let her." Sorreltail flashed him a sharp glance that melted into amusement.

"You're right. Our kits are old enough to care for themselves now," she mewed, backing away.

"Lilykit," Bramblestar meowed, "from this moment on until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Lilypaw. Dustpelt, since Hazeltail was made a warrior you are free to take on another apprentice. You were a fine mentor to Hazeltail and I know that you will pass all your skills down to Lilypaw."

The dark tabby-and-white she-cat dashed over to touch noses with her mentor. Maplekit leaned over to whisper into Spottedkit's ear.

"He's nearly an elder!"

"Shh!" Dovewing hissed at them. "Dustpelt is a fine warrior. And if he hears you saying that he'll claw your ears off." Maplekit ducked her head in embarrassment.

"Sorry, Dovewing."

"Seedkit," Bramblestar continued, " from this moment on you will be known as Seedpaw. Sandstorm, since Honeyfern became a warrior, you are free to take on another apprentice. You will be mentor to Seedpaw."

"But Honeyfern's dead," Maplekit whispered. Dovewing cuffed her over the ear.

"Dovewing!" Tigerheart called. Dovewing hurried across the clearing.

"Quick!" Ravenkit hissed. "Now's our chance!"

Silverkit gave him a puzzled look. "To do what?" she mewed, flicking her tail. Spottedkit purred with amusement.

"To explore the camp." Ravenkit mewed. "Surely you hadn't forgotten?" Silverkit's puzzled expression cleared.

"Oh, yeah. Come on then!" Silverkit meowed. Featherkit blinked.

"Let's explore the apprentices den! That's where we'll be going next!" Dovewing padded back. Tigerheart with her.

"Mouse dung!" Ravenkit hissed.

"What's the problem?" Dovewing asked them. Ravenkit shoved Silverkit. "You tell her," he muttered. Maplekit shouldered her way in front. "Can we go out and play? It's so big out there!"

Dovewing glanced at Tigerheart, amusement lighting her eyes. "Okay. Stay inside the clearing though. Be back here by the time the hunting patrol comes back!"

The kits were only half-listening. Silverkit took the lead, only to be over run by Ravenkit. Featherkit and Stormkit paired themselves together. Nettlekit blinked and hurried over Maplekit. Spottedkit bounded after them to catch up. "Wait for me!" she yowled.

"Hey, there's Seedpaw and Lilypaw!" Nettlekit whispered as they approached the apprentices' den.

"Let's scare them!" Maplekit whispered.

The two kits agreed and crouched, ready to pounce. As soon as they pounced, a leaf fell in front of Maplekit and she skidded to a clumsy halt.

"You're scared of a leaf!" Nettlekit teased. Maplekit lunged her to the ground and they rolled in the dust together for a heartbeat.

"Hey!" Lilypaw lifted her head and Seedpaw jumped.

"I've never seen apprentices snoozing their first day," teased Spottedkit.

Seedpaw sniffed. "Dustpelt and Sandstorm said they wanted to rest for a while," the pale ginger she-cat muttered. Lilypaw tipped her head to one side.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the nursery?" she asked curiously. Ravenkit puffed out his chest.

"Dovewing said we could go play in the clearing." Nettlekit pounced on Lilypaw's tail.

Lilypaw flicked her tail. "Hey!"

"Come on, let's go back," mewed Stormkit.

As the kits padded back to camp, a big tabby tom approached them. He looked like Tigerheart but he smelled different. " Hi kits! I'm going hunting. Want to come?" he asked cheerfully. Silverkit nodded excitedly. "I want to explore the territory!" she mewed. Featherkit blinked and she and Stormkit backed away.

"No thanks," Stormkit meowed, ears flattened. Featherkit flattened her ears too. "Come on! We should go back to camp! Remember what Dovewing said?"

"I guess so," Silverkit muttered regretfully. "Thanks." The three kits headed back to camp. They skidded to a halt at the thorn barrier. Dovewing saw them and raced over to them. "Where are your littermates?" she mewed. "They went exploring in ThunderClan territory. I don't know where they are!" Her mew ended in a wail.

"We'll find them," Dovewing assured her kits. Her belly churned with fear.

_Where could they be? _

Out in the forest, Raggedtail led the kits to a fallen tree. He then picked up Nettlekit and raced over to a berry bush. "Here's a treat for following me," he meowed. Nettlekit paused in alarm. Dovewing had told him never to do eat anything that he didn't know about.

"What are they called?" he asked cautiously.

"Juniper berries," Raggedtail lied. "They're good for strength." Nettlekit looked at the berries. They did look tasty….a little voice in his head told him not to touch it… but still… Nettlekit ignored it and took a few bites. The last thing he heard was Spottedkit's voice screeching a warning.

"Nettlekit, don't touch them! They're poisonous!"

**Yeah, it's a cliffhanger! What do you think will happen to Nettlekit? Answer in the reviews!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Yeah, it's an early update since a lot of people I actually**_** know**_** don't like cliffhangers. And, since the last chapter was a cliffhanger, for this chapter I won't be answering any reviews. Sorry!**

Spottedkit hurried over to her brother. She could see Maplekit staring wide-eyed at her. "Don't just stand there!" she spat. "Get Jayfeather." Not waiting for a reply, she pried open Nettlekit's mouth. Warm breath stirred her ear fur and she was aware of Ravenkit beside her. "Hold his mouth open," Spottedkit whispered. As Ravenkit did so, she took a look at Nettlekit's mouth.

His jaws gaped wide and Spottedkit caught a glimpse of half-chewed berries in his mouth.

"Deathberries!" she gasped.

There was a dark-leaved shrub growing from the ground just between two trees, with more of the lethal scarlet berries clustered among the leaves. She remembered the tale of Yellowfang using them to kill her son, Brokenstar; Spottedkit had heard how quickly and fatally they worked. She also remembered a moon ago when jay feather had appeared just in time to stop Snowkit from eating the death berries, and warned him of how poisonous they were. She then remembered the story of how Cinderpelt had saved Sorreltail when she was a kit; it was only thanks to Cinderpelt's quick actions that she had survived.

Crouching low, she did her best to scoop the berries from his mouth, but her brother was in too much terror and pain to make her job easier, and it was all Ravenkit could do to keep Nettlekit's mouth open.

_Great StarClan, Maplekit, get a move on!_

Nettlekit's head thrashed side to side, and his body was convulsing in regular spasms that to Spottedkit's horror seemed to be growing weaker.

Then to her relief she felt Jayfeather arrive beside her. "Deathberries!" she told him quickly. "I've tried to get them out, but…"

Jayfeather took her place by her brother's side. He had a bundle of leaves in his mouth; setting them down, he meowed, "Good. Keep holding him, Ravenkit. Spottedkit: I'll hold his mouth open; you take anything out from it."

With three of them to help and Nettlekit's struggles definitely getting weaker, Spottedkit was soon able to paw out the remains of the deathberries. Then Jayfeather rapidly chewed up a few of his leaves and stuffed the pulp into Nettlekit's mouth. "Swallow it," he ordered in a growl. To Spottedkit and Ravenkit he added, "it's yarrow. It'll make him sick."

Nettlekit's throat convulsed. A moment later he vomited; Spottedkit could see more scarlet flecks among the pulp of leaves.

Jayfeather's blind blue eyes stared at Nettlekit; alarmed, Spottedkit watched in dismay as her brother went limp and his eyes closed.

"Is he dead?" she whispered.

Before Jayfeather could open his mouth, a yowl sounded from the trees. "My kits! Where are my kits?" it was Dovewing, racing through the trees with Maplekit. She crouched beside Nettlekit, her blue eyes wide and distraught. "What happened?"

"He ate deathberries," Jayfeather snapped at her. "But I think I've gotten rid of them all. We'll carry him back to camp and I'll take care of him."

Dovewing began licking Nettlekit's dark tabby fur. By now, Spottedkit had noticed the faint rise and fall of her brother's flank as he breathed. He wasn't dead, but she could tell from Jayfeather's alarmed face that he was still in danger from the effects of the posion.

For the first time Spottedkit had time to draw breath and have a look around. Her first glance landed on Raggedtail. His paws were covered in red pulp. Spottedkit's first thought was that he had been trying to pull the deathberries from Nettlekit's mouth. But judging by his calmness, it didn't seem as though that were the case. No, he couldn't have been trying to save Nettlekit…but if he hadn't been trying to save Nettlekit, what in StarClan's name had he been doing?

_Oh, StarClan, don't tell me he tried to murder Nettlekit!_

Could it be true? Could this dark tabby warrior be responsible for Nettlekit's carelessness?

Dovewing let Jayfeather pick up her kit._ StarClan, please don't take my kit from me!_ Raggedtail was standing a few fox-lengths away. His paws were covered in red pulp.

Spottedkit glanced at her mother. Dovewing had seen Raggedtail, too, then. She watched Dovewing's eyes narrowed to icy blue slits.

Dovewing's motherly instincts suddenly kicked in. She flung herself at ragged tail and ripped her claws across his muzzle, fury surging through her. How dare he harm one of his Clanmates? Especially a defenseless kit?!

Raggedtail staggered back. "Dovewing, what did I do?" he meowed. Dovewing slashed his muzzle again. "You tried to kill Nettlekit!" she snarled. She slashed at his muzzle again, fury blinding her. Maplekit's amber eyes widened. "What -" she began.

Raggedtail shoved Dovewing back. "I didn't try to kill Nettlekit,"he snarled.. " I was hunting when I saw him eating deathberries. I tried to save him." He held up his pulp-stained paws. "See?"

Dovewing whipped around to face Spottedkit, Ravenkit, and Maplekit. "Is this true?" she demanded.

Spottedkit and Maplekit backed away. "I d-don't know," Ravenkit stuttered. "We were in the forest and Raggedtail took off with Nettlekit. We followed but we don't know what happened next."

Dovewing wanted to slash Raggedtail's muzzle again. Her kits could not be lying. There was sincere truth and fear in their voices. Yet there was only one cat who could tell them what happened, and that was Nettlekit.

"Mama?" Maplekit meowed. Spottedkit gazed up at her from wide amber eyes. "Nettlekit will be all right, won't he?"

Dovewing looked at her paws. "I don't know," she mewed. "I just don't know." Her eyes closed and she shook herself. "Come on," she meowed wearily. "Let's go back to camp."

Her kits followed her, their eyes wide and scared. Dovewing wanted to comfort them, but she couldn't.

What if Nettlekit didn't recover? What if Nettlekit _died_ ?

As soon as they reached camp, Dovewing herded her kits towards the nursery, where she had left Featherkit, Stormkit, and Silverkit.

Raggedtail paced in circles. His plan had failed. Phase two would hurt though…


	9. Chapter 9

**This is another early update. If I want to do 20-25 chapters I have to get a head-start!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own warriors; Erin Hunter does.**

**Again, I will not be answering any reviews because the last chapter was a cliffhanger.**

Raggedtail paced the clearing. It was almost moonhigh. Now, for his plan to work, he needed Tigerheart to go out on the moonlight patrol. Framing Tigerheart was another matter, however, and he knew Dovewing had special powers that could hear, scent, and see things that were far away. This would not be easy.

Dovewing curled up in her nest, with her kits nestled safely beside her. They were all safely nestled beside her, sound asleep, but Dovewing couldn't sleep, worrying about Nettlekit. She extended her senses nervously around the camp; once she was sure the camp was secure she hid them in the mossy nest. _I'm sorry, but I _have _to check on Nettlekit!_

She slipped out of the den and padded silently across the clearing towards the medicine den, Jayfeather was awake, but he looked worried.

_Oh StarClan, no! Please let Nettlekit be all right!_ Dovewingthought silently. Jayfeather was talking to a cat in the den, but from where she was, Dovewing couldn't see who.

"Are you _sure _you don't remember anything?" Jayfeather's impatient mew echoed across the clearing.

"Yes." Dovewing recognized the mew with a rush of joy; it was Nettlekit! She raced for the den; at the same time Jayfeather's irritated sigh reached her ears.

"Fine, but if you remember anything come back here okay? I'll take you to the nursery now," Jayfeather meowed irritably. A few heartbeats later Nettlekit staggered out and Dovewing rushed to his side. "Nettlekit!"

Nettlekit blinked drowsily up at her. "I'm tired," he mewed. "Are you taking me to my nest now?"

Dovewing nodded. "Yes." She paused. "You know those berries you ate? Those were deathberries. Don't you _ever _touch them again."

"I won't, I promise," murmured the dark tabby kit. Then Nettlekit walked back to the nursery. After a few moments Dovewing followed. Horror flashed through her. She had lost Nettlekit again! Struggling to keep her panic down. _I won't alert the Clan. Not yet._ A few fox-lengths away she skidded to a halt. Tigerheart's scent started here. Confusion crashed over her like a wave. Why would _Tigerheart's _scent be here? What did he want with Nettlekit? If he wanted to talk to him he could have just entered the nursery. He should know that. She followed the scent over to the clump of ferns that grew next to the apprentices' den. Here Tigerheart's fern scent grew stronger. With it, there was another scent. Dovewing dove into the ferns. Could it be…? "Oh StarClan no…"

Before her she saw the jerking, flailing, body of Nettlekit. An odd scent reached her nose. It smelled like deathberries…but no it couldn't be. It had the scent of prey on it. A mouse with a bite out of it and scarlet berries coming out from the mouse. She grabbed his scruff and dragged him over to Jayfeather's den. Her heart pounded with fear. The nursery could be being picked clean by the murderer while she was doing this! She dropped Ravenkit in the den. Jayfeather sprang to his paws at once, his tail lashing.

"What now-"

"Nettlekit ate poisoned prey!" Dovewing snapped. Jayfeather dug out a bundle of yarrow, his eyes round with alarm. "Hold his mouth open," he instructed. Dovewing did as she was told and Jayfeather stuffed a bundle of yarrow into Ravenkit's mouth. A heartbeat later Nettlekit vomited twice.

"He should be okay now." Jayfeather stood right next to Nettlekit. As Dovewing left the den, Jayfeather's hiss echoed in her ears.

"Dovewing, you _have _to find out who's doing this!"

Dovewing raced back to the den, her pads prickling with fear. She didn't want to enter to find another kit missing. As she rushed towards the den, she saw Tigerheart by the den. Fury surged through her and she shot over to him, knocking him over.

"Tigerheart!" she snarled, suddenly ferocious. "How could you!?"

Tigerheart looked baffled. "What-what did I do-?"

"You tried to kill Nettlekit!" she interrupted him, her fur bristling with fury.

Tigerheart looked as if some cat had ripped his belly open. "Nettlekit's dying!? You think _I_ killed him?" He paused in worry.

Dovewing drew her lips back into a snarl. "I smelled your scent going to his body!"

"Dovewing, I-"

Dovewing hissed at him and turned her back. "Raggedtail was right about you," she growled before ducking into the nursery.

To her relief she saw the six kits in the nest, and she nestled next to them, unwilling to take anymore chances. Nettlekit was in the medicine den because she hadn't watched him well enough. And if she had watched Nettlekit well enough, Nettlekit wouldn't be there at all. Sleep crashed down upon her, and she did not fight it.

"Dovewing…" a voice whispered in her ear. "Dovewing, you are troubled…"

Dovewing opened her eyes in a dream. A gray she-cat stood in front of her. A tiny tortoiseshell kit stood next to the she- cat.

"Bluestar?" she meowed. The gray she-cat nodded. Then Dovewing noticed the tortoiseshell beside her. "Petalkit? My kit… oh, my kit…"she swallowed back sobs.

"Dovewing." Bluestar's voice was stern. "There's a cat in ThunderClan. He's the one who's caused you all this pain. Once you expose him, he'll be gone forever."

"Is another of my kits going to die?" she whispered. Bluestar glanced at the ground. Petalkit was chasing a butterfly now, but Dovewing had lost interest of her kit. "No. No . No, please…I can't bear that thought… tell me who he is!" Dovewing exclaimed.

Bluestar opened her mouth. "It's-"

Something jabbed her in the side and Dovewing woke up.

Dovewing dragged herself to her paws. "Thanks," she mumbled awkwardly. Ravenkit, Featherkit, Stormkit, Silverkit, Spottedkit, and Maplekit were sitting beside her. Raggedtail pressed close to her. She didn't even flinch; grateful for the comfort, she pressed closer to him and Raggedtail could feel his plan working. If only Ravenkit's body would be found!His plan was working. Once Tigerheart was accused guilty, there wouldn't be anything Tigerheart could use to defend himself and Tigerheart would be forced to live as a rogue.

"Hi, Dovewing," he murmured. "I was just checking on you. Are you all right?"

Dovewing sighed and reality thunked her on the head; Bluestar's warning echoed in her ears. "Yeah, I'm all right," she lied, as Bluestar's warning rang in her ears.

"Dovewing?" Raggedtail was staring at her. "Are you _sure_ you're all right?" Dovewing shook the thought away.

"Come on," meowed Raggedtail. He flicked his tail at her.

Dovewing stepped out into the clearing. The Clan was hissing and snarling at a dark tabby cat with amber eyes.

_Tigerheart! _Dovewing sighed with relief. Now that he was exposed, there would be peace, as Bluestar had said.

Tigerheart looked everywhere. "I didn't try to kill Nettlekit! I would- I would never try to kill my own kit!" He looked at Dovewing, but she was just staring at him with the same fury she had the night before. His heart did a flip when he saw Raggedtail. Maybe his brother would help him…? But his brother didn't look like he was going to help him. They were all staring at him.

Raggedtail spoke first. "I found Nettlekit's body with the scent of Tigerheart," he began.

"No! That's not true1 I would never kill my-"

Raggedtail continued: "I also saw him feeding Nettlekit a poisoned mouse. I tried stopping him, but he held me down until he was very weak, and by the time I gave her to Jayfeather, I wasn't sure if she would make it. He has been in Jayfeather's den up to now. I'm not sure if he'll live."

Tigerheart fled. There was no way the Clan would believe him, not after the speech Raggedtail had made.

**Cliffhanger!**


	10. Chapter 10

**I posted Chapter 11 twice. Yes, I know that Chapter 10 is identical to Chapter 11. I did this early. I don't want to get suspended (Entries not Allowed: chapters of the same material, ect). Therefore, you can call me names in the reviews ;) , but please don't curse me out for the sake of the younger readers.**

**Logically Illogical and 2AWESOME4U - thank you for telling me about my mistake. I will be more careful of my work before posting it. To keep from making any more mistakes, I'm deleting the past documents and maybe Ch. 1( and then fixing it).**

**Again, critism is welcome! :D**

**This work posted is kinda different from the original chapter before I made the dumbest mistake ever on Fanfiction Net.**

**So here I'm fixing the dumb mistake I made. Here you go. :)**

Stormkit blinked at the tabby Dovewing was with. "Who's that you're with?'' he mewed.

The fluffy gray she-cat looked surprised. "This is Raggedtail,"she meowed. Spottedkit was trying to figure out something in her head.

"Aren't you the cat we were with when Nettlekit ate deathberries?" she asked. The massive tabby looked stricken, and shook his head frantically at the kits, but they didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah!" mewed Featherkit.

"And then he took Nettlekit out of the nursery when he came in. That wasn't very nice!" added

Maplekit. Just as Raggedtail opened his mouth for an explaination, Jayfeather came out of the medicine den. "Nettlekit is awake," he meowed, fixing Raggedtail with his blind blue gaze. "But he told me that Raggedtail fed him the deathberries. So, Raggedtail, " he glared blindly(he he get it?) at the dark tabby warrior, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"He's lying," Raggedtail retorted. Angry hisses and yowls broke out., and he added, "Or he made a mistake. I've never witnessed a kit making a mistake before- in ShadowClan, but it could be happening." As he spoke, he dug his claws into Ravenkit's throat.

Dovewing heard Ravenkit's surprised mew and realized what had happened. When Nettlekit got posioned, Raggedtail had tried to kill him. He fed him deathberries. And when Nettlekit ate posioned prey, Raggedtail had tried to kill him a second time, this time framing Tigerheart. He had stolen a tuft of fur from Tigerheart's nest. The scrap of fur carried Tigerheart's scent: Raggedtail had framed Tigerheart as the killer then. Fury surged through her. She had blamed her beloved mate, and Raggedtail had been responsible for it all. With a yowl, she lunged at him and rolled him to the ground; then flipped him over using a move she'd been taught and began to slash his belly. Raggedtail screeched in alarm and Bramblestar bounded over to them.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

Dovewing raked he rclaws across his belly one last time and let go. "You heard Jayfeather!" she yowled furiously. "He tried to kill my kits!"

Bramblestar's eyes narrowed. "When I invited my nephew- you, Raggedtail - to join ThunderClan I thought you were a good cat and a loyal warrior. I see all this is untrue. " He raised his voice into an angry yowl. "I now send you into exile!"

Raggedtail turned a pleading look on Dovewing."Dovewing..please...Help me!"he hissed. His face was hurting her to look at but she ignored him, wrapping her tail around her six kits.

"I have my own family now!" she hissed.

Raggedtail's face turned revengeful. "I'll get my revenge on you for this, Dovewing. I'll kill your kits, and your mate. I'll make you suffer!" He whipped around and stalked out of the camp, leaving a fresh scent trail behind him.

"Dovewing, come to my den. Now," Bramblestar ordered.

Dovewing nodded and followed him, her heart pounding. Her six kits followed her.

"Mama!" wailed Ravenkit. "Raggedtail almost got me!"

Dovewing nodded. "I know!I know and I promise I'll never let him do it again! Now go to the nursery. I'll be back soon." She followed Bramblestar into his den.

He nodded at her as she came in. "I understand that you started blaming your mate?" he meowed. "For trying the killing of your kits? The rest of the Clan did too. And it was wrong of us to."

"Yes Bramblestar," Dovewing mewed, lowering her head.

He blinked slowly. "Good. Now, go find Tigerheart and bring him to my den. I have sencere apologies to give to him. "

Dovewing nodded. "Okay," she mewed.

xxxxx

Once in the forest,she extended her senses to track down Tigerheart. She found him sitting at the foot of an beech tree outside the territory gazing into ShadowClan territory with a sad look on his face.

"Tigerheart!" she yowled happily and bowled him over. She started licking his cheek.

"What?" he mewed in confusion. She continued licking his cheek. He pushed her off of him and began circling her, amber eyes narrowed .

"Why are you here Dovewing?" he hissed. "We have nothing left to say to each other. Raggedtail's your mate, okay? I get it."

Dovewing felt hurt . "It was all a misunderstanding! Raggedtail framed you as the killer to get you out of the Clan so that he could have me to himself."

"Why didn't you help me when the Clan was accusing me of murdering my own daughter?" Tigerheart asked. There was no more anger. Just hurt in his warm gaze.

"I'm so, so sorry," Dovewing mewed. She pushed herself against him. "Bluestar came to me in a dream and told me a cat I once liked was going to bring chaos to our lives. At first I thought it was you because she told me to expect the unexpected but now I see it was Raggedtail."

Tigerheart drew away from her. "You used to like Raggedtail?"

Dovewing nodded. " I kind of did. I don't at all anymore, ever since I found out the truth about him. I should have listened to you when you told me he might kill to get to me." She blinked and nuzzled closer to him.

He nodded. "Okay. Just don't do it again."

**Three Moons Later**

"Hurry!" Dovewing meowed. "Bramblestar's starting your apprentice ceremony!"

Spottedkit muttered curses as her mother licked her pelt. "I can clean myself Mama! I'm becoming an apprentice today. No more nursery!" she yowled.

"Spottedkit. Are you sure about your decision?" asked Tigerheart. "You can never have a mate or become a mother. Like ever."

"Yes!"Spottedkit meowed. "I can heal cats and it'll be better that way."

Dovewing blinked. "Okay-"

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath theHighleadge for a Clan meeting!" yowled Bramblestar.

"Dewkit.. From this moment on until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as Dewpaw. I will be mentor to you."

"What an honor!" gasped Lionblaze. "It's been moons since Bramblestar took on an apprentice!"

"Snowkit.. From this moment on until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as Snowpaw. Berrynose, I mentored you well. pas on all the skills you have learned from me to Snowpaw." Berrynose walked proudly up to his apprentice.

"Amberkit.. From this moment on until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as Amberpaw . Lionblaze, Dovewing is a great warrior, thanks to your will be mentor to Amberpaw.

"Nettlekit. From this moment on until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as Nettlepaw. Tigerheart." Bramblestar adressed the dark tabby warrior. "You have proved yourself a loyal ThunderClan warrior. Teach all the skills you know to this apprentice.

"Maplekit.. From this moment on until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as Maplepaw. Brightheart. You did well mentoring Jayfeather for the time he trained as a warrior. You will be mentor to Maplepaw.

"Stormkit. From this moment on until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as . This is your first apprentice, on all you know to him.

"Featherkit.. From this moment on until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as Featherpaw. Blossomfall, this will be your first on all you know to her."

"Ravenkit.. From this moment on until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as Ravenpaw. Toadstep, you will mentor Ravenpaw as your first apprentice."

"Silverkit.. From this moment on until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as Silverpaw. Cinderheart , you mentored Ivypool well and I trust that you will pass on all the skills you know to her."

"Spottedkit.. From this moment on until you recieve your full medicine cat name you will be known as Spottedpaw." Bramblestar beckoned to Jayfeather with his tail. "Spottedpaw is willing to learn the art of healing. Jayfeather, do you decline or accept?"

There was a pause. Then Jayfeather meowed, "I accept."

"Spottedpaw, you will be Jayfeather's aprentice and our next medicine cat. The meeting is at an end." Bramblestar bounded down the tumble of rocks and stood beside Squirrelflight.

Silverpaw nodded to Dovewing. "I'll make you proud mama. Just you wait and see!"


	11. Chapter 11

**I know it's early, and I didn't think I'd be updating today(I'm sick; the only reason I updated early was that I found an amazing shred of willpower). So this chapter might not be long. I have chapters 11 to 13 written, I just have to type them, so that's about all. I'm still sick, BTW. But that doesn't matter now. This story does. ****J**

**Leopardstorm88 - the kits don't receive their warrior names until… maybe the end of the story….**

**This'll be a disappointment for the Silverpaw fans. I just hope it's not too horrible.**

Cinderheart led her apprentice into the trees by the lakeside. Silverpaw bounded beside her mentor excitedly. This would be her first assessment since she had been apprenticed. Toadstep and Ravenpaw stood beside them. Silverpaw bounced beside Ravenpaw.

"You can hunt there, in the clearing," Cinderheart meowed. Toadstep flicked his tail.

"I'm taking Ravenpaw to hunt in those trees," Toadstep meowed. "He really needs to practice that."

Cinderheart turned her gaze on Silverpaw. "It's sunhigh now. Bring something back for the fresh-kill pile by sundown." Ravenpaw leaned forward to Silverpaw.

"I can't believe we have an assessment already!" Ravenpaw hissed into her ear. "I'm going to try for a squirrel. You?"

"_Definitely _not squirrel," Silverpaw replied. "It's too hard. My pelt is too thick-furred, I'm too broad- shouldered, and hunting squirrels is just hard."

"What are you going to do then? Wait till the prey hops into your mouth?" Ravenpaw asked. Toadstep's mew cut in.

"Ravenpaw, all the prey will have died of old age before you get where we need to be."

Ravenpaw shrugged. "Okay then." He bounded after his mentor.

As Cinderheart padded off, Silverpaw sniffed the air. There was a faint scent of shrew, covered by the thicker scent of vole. Silverpaw drew forward. The vole, unaware of her presence, began looking on the ground, sniffing.

_Good! It's busy looking for food._

Silverpaw continued to draw herself forward, and then froze. There was another scent in the air. A familiar one. Silverpaw tried to remember, but the vole scent was confusing her and she couldn't focus.

Silverpaw lunged forward, paws outstretched. She managed to catch it beneath her paws, but the kill was clumsy, and she found herself hoping Cinderheart hadn't been around to see it.

Just as she finished scraping dirt over her kill, something hard-and-soft smacked her aside. Silverpaw looked up and saw a dark tabby cat. His fur was ragged, as if he'd been hunting for himself for some-time. Silverpaw tried to recall his scent- she was sure she'd smelled it before -but she couldn't. And she could tell he wasn't going to wait so she could.

"Hello, Silverpaw," he hissed at her. "I don't think you remember me?"

Silverpaw hissed at him. There was an intruder on ThunderClan territory! Think how proud Dovewing would be if she knew her daughter had chased off an intruder three times her size!**(that's what I mean when I say Raggedtail's a **_**massive**_** tabby)** Silverpaw slashed at his muzzle.

He staggered back. Silverpaw wriggled free and tried to run, but he recovered fast and rolled her to the ground. She slashed at his muzzle and face, trying to wind him for long enough to flee.

"Are you listening, kitty? I'm going to kill you, and all your littermates," he hissed into her ear. She slashed at his nose. He yowled in pain and slashed his thorn-sharp claws across her face. Darkness covered her vision and she yowled in pain.

"No, no!" she wailed. "I can't see!" there was a menacing laugh from the dark tabby. "Good night, Silverpaw!" he hissed.

"Let go!" she snarled. She felt for a fleshy part and bit for the nose. He let out a screech; Silverpaw knew she had hit a weak spot. The weight vanished from her belly. The tomcat was on the run.

"Don't come back!" she yowled.

"You'll bleed to death anyway!" he called back.

Pawsteps approached and she sighed with relief. Her Clanmates were here. At last. She sighed and closed her eyes.

xxxx

Dovewing frantically searched the patrols coming back from the forest. None of them had Silverpaw in them. A warrior had just come sending a message that Silverpaw was hurt bad.

Dovewing rushed to her daughters side and Jayfeather and Spottedpaw were already there. "She's alive but barely. She's got a nasty scratch on her cheek and…." Spottedpaw examined her eyes. "Her eyes are scratched up bad but she'll be okay if we give her the proper care and hospitality…."

Dovewing pushed her son aside and licked her daughter's fur frantically. Tigerheart joined her at the foot of the tree. "I heard what happened," he said breathlessly. "Silverpaw can you hear me?"

Silverpaw moaned quietly.

Tigerheart turned to Cinderheart. "Who did this?" he demanded. "I don't know. I left her so she could hunt and when I-" "You left her? In the forest all by herself?" Tigerheart yowled. "You know that's not right! Not with Raggedtail prowling around. I'll bet that's who did it!" Tigerheart snarled. Dovewing looked at him. He had a point.

Featherpaw and Stormpaw went to their mother's side, their blue and amber**(Featherpaw's eyes are blue; Stormpaw's eyes are amber)** eyes wide with shock. "Mama, is she going to be okay?" Featherpaw whispered. Dovewing could barely hear her over the clamor of cats.

Jayfeather shouldered his way through and began chewing leaves and stuffing them into her throat. "Listen, Silverpaw. Whenever I put something in your throat, I need you to swallow."

Silverpaw nodded weakly and swallowed the herbs. She coughed with the effort, spraying some blood on Spottedpaw's dark tortoiseshell pelt.

Cats were starting to gather around. Bramblestar appeared. "Everyone, get back to your duties. She needs air." he turned to Jayfeather. "Will she live?"

Jayfeather hesitated; Dovewing felt her throat tighten and Tigerheart laid his tail comfortingly across her shoulders.

"She might and she might not. It depends on how much herbs we will have in store. If we run out there's a chance we'll... we'll lose her." Jayfeather went back to stuffing herbs into her mouth.

Dovewing locked her daughter's face. "I'm right here, Silverpaw," she whispered. She licked the blood off of her daughter's eyes and flinched at the face. Silverpaw's green eyes had claw marks across them. The pupils were faded and they looked like an green version of Jayfeather's blue eyes.

Jayfeather and Spottedpaw dragged Silverpaw back to the medicine cat den. Dovewing followed them. "Is it okay for her to be dragging like that?" she mewed nervously. "She's got a nasty scratch on her face. Will it get infected? I mean.. ''

Jayfeather dropped her in the medicine cat den. "Look, Dovewing," he said with icy calmness, "I could work better if you didn't watch."

Dovewing looked at him doubtfully. "Are you sure? This is my daughter you're talking about."

Jayfeather sighed. "Dovewing this is my what- hundredth patient I've taken care of since I became a full medicine cat. I assure you I can take care of her. Now get out of my den!" he snapped, his tail lashing. Dovewing backed away. Spottedpaw called after her.

"Don't worry! I'll make sure she lives!"

Dovewing padded back and forth. Silverpaw's eyes were pretty scratched up. She could be blind forever. That could mean she could never be a warrior! Oh StarClan no….

She padded into the warriors' den. Tigerheart padded in after her. She lashed her tail. Fear at the possibility of losing her daughter made her sharp-tongued. "What are you doing here?" she snapped. Tigerheart flinched.

"I just-"

Dovewing sighed and let her tail brush against him. "I'm sorry I snapped," she meowed. Her shoulders sagged. "Only our kits have been attacked. I think Raggedtail would've killed her…"

"Raggedtail promised us revenge… is this what he meant?" Tigerheart murmured bleakly.

Dovewing barely heard him. As she drifted off to sleep, Silverpaw's injury flashed in her mind.

_What if Silverpaw never becomes a warrior?_


	12. Chapter 12

**Well, I've fixed Chapter 1 and Chapter 10, so in a while, they should be fixed. I am still sick, but not as sick as I used to be. Just a stuffy/runny nose and a temporary headache(GAH I hate those things.) As I said, I had the next few chapters written, I just need to type them, so please tell me about any mistakes.**

**Littleflower54276408 - I know, but I didn't want to kill her, so that's what I did to her instead.**

**CRITISM IS WELCOME! ****J**

Silverpaw opened her eyes to darkness. Confused, she closed them again, then opened them. Still darkness covered her eyes. She sighed in annoyance, remembering the previous day. Then she remembered. That stinking tabby cat ripped her eyes.

"Hi, Silverpaw!"

Silverpaw backed away nervously. The voice went on, surprised. "It's just me, Spottedpaw." Silverpaw sighed.

"You can't see anything, can you?" mewed Spottedpaw. Silverpaw shook her head, blinking, hoping that this was temporary and soon she would be able to see.

"Jayfeather says if-"

"Spottedpaw!" yowled Jayfeather. "I _told _you to collect some coltsfoot. Is that too much to ask?"

Spottedpaw ducked her head, embarrassed, and padded out of the den.

Silverpaw blinked and stumbled over her paws. She pawed around the ground until she found her nest and then settled down in it again. A dragging sound came from the den entrance, and she froze, fur on end. "Who're you?" she hissed. She fell over clumsily and groaned. Her side stung from the scratches.

"Silverpaw, it's me, Briarlight." Her voice was sympathetic. ""Can you see anything, Silverpaw?"

Silverpaw dropped her head. "No," she mumbled, "Just murky darkness." Briarlight dragged herself closer to Silverpaw.

"What happened to me?" she meowed. Briarlight rested her tail on Silverpaw's back. "I'm so so sorry, " she murmured. " But just because you can't see doesn't mean you're not a great cat and apprentice." Silverpaw looked down even though she couldn't see anything. Briarlight continued. "Every warrior in the Clan is valued. Ever since I broke my back I took care of kits-"

"Kits!" muttered Silverpaw. "Great." Briarlight stroked her tail on her back. For once, Silverpaw pulled closer, grateful for the comfort.

"Even if you lose your sight, it doesn't make you any less of a great apprentice," Briarlight meowed.

Silverpaw toppled over clumsily. "I'm not going to lose my sight!" she laughed nervously. "It just needs to heal, right?" Her mew grew desperate. "Because after that we can go back to training with my littermates and become warriors together, right?"

"You'll never see again," Briarlight whispered painfully. "There's nothing we can do. I'm so so sorry."

Silverpaw knew the consequences of her foolish acts. "If only I'd fetched Cinderheart instead of taking him on myself," she mewed sadly. "Then none of this would be happening."

…

Spottedpaw reached the border. Why did coltsfoot have to grow _here,_ of all places? Why not closer to her own territory? Irritated, she started slicing the coltsfoot with her claws when something gripped her by the scruff. Terror flooded her as she realized she was in trouble. This cat was Raggedtail, the cat who had attempted to kill her littermates, for Dovewing's choice of mate had poisoned his heart and turned it evil. But she didn't want Raggedtail to be her father anyway. He was just as ruthless as Brokenstar, the former ShadowClan leader.

"Greet StarClan for me," he snarled. Spottedpaw flailed helplessly beneath his grip, but Raggedtail didn't let go.

"Stop it!" she hissed. "I'm a medicine cat. Let go of me!" She knew the words were useless. Raggedtail didn't follow the warrior code, and he probably never would. _StarClan, help me!_

"I said you would greet StarClan for me, and I meant it," he hissed. Spottedpaw wasn't going to beg him. Why? Raggedtail would never let her go, not even if StarClan came down and told him to. The rogue cat fastened his teeth into her throat. Pain was threatening to swamp her, and she knew there was no way she could take on a cat three times her size. She had seen the wounds he had given Silverpaw. Spottedpaw closed her eyes and prepared for her end.

Suddenly, Raggedtail yowled and his weight vanished from her back. Spottedpaw opened her eyes and saw a sleek-furred apprentice - obviously from RiverClan. But what was a RiverClan cat doing inside the territory?

There was no time to think about that right now. She knew that this cat had to be helped, no matter which Clan he came from, and Spottedpaw knew she couldn't fight well, but she had to try.

She tensed and flung herself at Raggedtail. The massive tomcat yowled in surprise as the apprentices tackled him to the ground, but as Spottedpaw felt his massive paws skim her belly, she knew that exile had not diminished the warrior's strength. Raggedtail flung the two young cats off him. "Two cats are easy to fight," he snarled, his amber eyes burning. "I can fight four cats, fully grown, never mind a couple apprentices. Watch out, you two." He flung himself at Spottedpaw, hissing, "I'm going to rip you apart so bad you'll be happy when you join StarClan." The other apprentice tried to attack him, but Raggedtail flung him off. "I'm not interested in you," he snapped. "Stay away."

The apprentice flung himself at Raggedtail and sunk his teeth into Raggedtail's paw; Raggedtail yowled and tumbled onto WindClan's side of the border. The RiverClan apprentice kept his jaws clamped tight on Raggedtail's leg. The massive tom tried to shake him off, but before he could, Spottedpaw rammed into his side and bit hard. Raggedtail's claws ripped her cheek, and as she stood there, winded, the tabby tom fled.

"And don't come back!" Spottedpaw screeched after him. The tabby glared at them before disappearing onto the moor.

"He's hard to fight, isn't he?" meowed the apprentice.

"You..know him?" Spottedpaw whispered.

"No," he snapped. "Do you?"

"Yes," she mumbled and started to collect the already cut coltsfoot. " He used to live in ThunderClan. He got exiled for trying to kill my brother."

"What's your name?" mewed the RiverClan cat.

"Spottedpaw. I'm the ThunderClan medicine cat's apprentice."

"I have to go," he meowed. "Bye, Spottedpaw."

As she left, the coltsfoot in her jaws, she couldn't help the feeling that flipped in her stomach.

…

Maplepaw jumped forward, paws flailing and she landed on her prey. She killed it clumsily; the bird fluttered in her grip before she gave the killing bite. Brightheart padded over to her. "Do you know what you did wrong?" she asked her apprentice.

"Um.. I let it know I was coming in the way I pounced.. And it got warned that way… I think," Maplepaw meowed. Brightheart nodded.

"That's right," she meowed. "Bring that to the elders and I'll come to camp soon."

**(Oh geez, what was I THINKING, giving Brightheart an apprentice? SHE'S A NURSING QUEEN****! Oh shoot…) **

Maplepaw nodded and picked up her bird. Then she raced back to camp, her thoughts pricking at the back of her mind. She remembered Silverpaw. She might not be able to become a warrior because of her eyes. Maplepaw remembered the story about how Jayfeather had been unable to become a warrior because of his blindness. She padded into the medicine cat den. Silverpaw had her head resting on her paws and talking unhappily to Briarlight. Spottedpaw was trying to sort herbs, her amber eyes wide and moony. Maplepaw narrowed her eyes. Spottedpaw smelled like she'd been fighting. And she was sorting poppy seeds with mallow. Maplepaw knew that poppy seeds looked no where near like mallow.

"Spottedpaw?" she meowed. Spottedpaw didn't move.. "Spottedpaw! SPOTTEDPAW!" she yowled. Spottedpaw's fur bushed for a moment, then she relaxed. Her eyes focused, and she looked at her paws.

"Mouse dung!" she muttered. "Stupid RiverClan cat.. Get out of my head.."

"What RiverClan cat?" mewed Silverpaw. "What happened?"

"Nothing to worry about," Spottedpaw meowed.

Briarlight turned her head. "Hey, Maplepaw," she meowed. "Would you mind getting Nettlepaw, Featherpaw, Stormpaw, and Ravenpaw?"

"They're here already," meowed Nettlepaw, padding into the den. Ravenpaw, Featherpaw, and Stormpaw followed.

"Do you remember a cat called Raggedtail?" Briarlight meowed. Spottedpaw flicked her tail.

"Uh, yeah..why?"

"He's the cat who..tried to kill Nettlepaw," Briarlight blinked. "And Silverpaw." Silverpaw closed her eyes.

"Don't remind me," she muttered.

Stormpaw and Featherpaw stared at Briarlight. "Why do you bring this up?" Silverpaw mewed.

Briarlight flicked her tail at Silverpaw, hitting her ear. "I was attacked by a tabby cat. He's almost identical to Tigerheart but he's um..bigger than him! He asked me if I remembered who he was but I had no idea!" She looked at the seven apprentices. "Raggedtail was the cat who..tried to kill you . "He was jealous because Dovewing chose Tigerheart over him."

Silverpaw froze, tail flicking angrily. "We're all suffering for Dovewing's mistakes," she hissed. "It isn't fair!" She broke down into a sob.

Ravenpaw whipped around to face her, even though she couldn't see. "Our mother did what was best for us," he snapped. "Would you rather have a murderous father, say Raggedtail?"

Silverpaw's whiskers quivered. "I didn't mean.." She trailed off, and a tear slid down her cheek. Spottedpaw broke the silence.

"Are you saying Dovewing chose Tigerheart as her mate because he's _not_ Raggedtail?" she meowed.

Ravenpaw shook his head. "Raggedtail used to love our mother but Dovewing loved our father more, that's all."

"The thing is, that Raggedtail's a dangerous cat and he's lurking in our territory. Bramblestar exiled him about three moons ago. It seems he hasn't left yet."

Jayfeather entered the den. "Great StarClan! Why are there eight cats in the den?"

"Jayfeather!" mewed Stormpaw. "We need to tell Bramblestar!"

Jayfeather stared at him blindly**(he he get it?)** and his ears pricked. "Tell Bramblestar what?"

Featherpaw darted out of the den. "Raggedtail's still in our territory! He blinded Silverpaw!"

**Don't worry, there's still a lot more. I wrote chapters 13- 14 yesterday but when I saved this, my computer didn't save it and I had to type 5 pages worth of work. So I didn't feel like telling you in the beginning and x ing out all that work again. I'll write two more chapters and type them and do what ever. **

**I'll update soon!**


	13. The attack

**Ok, I know it's late, but I **_**DO **_**have a reason: I got this book on astronomy. There was this short paragraph on how to tick off an astronomer - and it can be fun to see how he/she reacts - check out the 4 ways below. **

**Mix up the terms **_**meteor, meteorite, **_**and **_**meteoroid. **_**The very **_**best**_** way to tick off an astronomer is to call him/her an astrologer.**

**Ki05596 - thank you! : )**

**Petalfall11 - it's ok, I've been busy too.**

**Ok, I just want to say something before you start reading, this is just to the people who have been favoriting "Dovewing's Choice". If you're going to favorite this, please review on it, too. I don't mean to be rude about you favoriting my story, but I just feel GUILTY when people favorite this without reviewing. **

**Thanks! : )**

**I've decided there will be 25 chapters, cause all the good fanfics I read aren't any more than 20,000 words. **

**Can you answer these questions, please? **

**Sandstorm and Dustpelt are old, their mates are both dead, and plus, they're almost elders. Should they die?**

**JayfeatherLuver1 - Raggedtail will be dealt with, I promise, but don't you think Dustpelt and Sandstorm need to go? ThunderClan is kinda big now, so I need to make some of the old cats die.**

**Thx : )**

**Where are my old reviewers? Logicaly Illogical, Sarnia Oblivion, where are you? Your reviews were so.. encouraging.**

As Featherpaw started for the leader's den entrance, Jayfeather shouldered her out of the way.

"Not you," he hissed. "I'll tell him."

Featherpaw and Stormpaw stared at him wide-eyed. "But- shouldn't a patrol-"

Jayfeather lashed his tail. "What do you think Bramblestar's going to do, mouse-brains?"

Ravenpaw started to speak, but Jayfeather had already disappeared into the leader's den. The seven kits let out a hiss of annoyance.

"Bramblestar, I need to speak to you." Jayfeather sensed the Clan leader's irritation as he walked towards Bramblestar and Squirrelflight.

"Can't it wait?" Bramblestar grumbled. "Squirrelflight and I were discussing something important." Jayfeather flicked his tail dismissively. "I think this is more important," he meowed.

"Get on with it." The ThunderClan leader flicked his tail irritably.

"Raggedtail's still in the territory. He's the one who's blinded Silverpaw."

Bramblestar's ears twitched and Squirrelflight spoke up.

"How do you know that?" she meowed. "Silverpaw wasn't blind at the time and also, he asked her if she remembered him."

"Briarlight was attacked by him," Jayfeather mewed. "She told Silverpaw."

Bramblestar paced the den, tail twitching. "He's getting more dangerous than I thought he would when I exiled him," he growled. "I'm going to go send a patrol of senior warriors and have them catch him and hold him hostage in our camp." Jayfeather's ears twitched.

"Won't that give him a clear shot to kill Dovewing's kits? And Ivypool had her kits only four moons ago Raggedtail just wants to hurt Dovewing. ; he doesn't care who he kills as long as it hurts her to see the cat dead. He might kill Ivypool's kits to have Dovewing suffer while Ivypool suffers to see her kits dead." Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes.

"He'll be closely guarded," the Clan leader growled. "And if he has to make dirt, he'll have at least one warrior with him."

"Maybe ShadowClan will want him back?" Jayfeather mewed. He didn't like the idea of Raggedtail in the camp. Warriors or no warriors, he'd find a way to kill the kits.. He always had. What would stop him now? Bramblestar gave him a side glance.

"After all those things he did to us, I don't think any Clan will want him back. I know, it doesn't seem safe," he meowed. "But it'll be safer then him sneaking around our territory and attacking our kits and apprentices."

Later on at sundown, Ivypool, Dovewing, Bumblestripe, Tigerheart, Squirrelflight, and Cloudtail were in the leader's den.

"Raggedtail is still in our territory and we need to root him out. He is a danger to our young warriors, apprentices, and kits," Bramblestar growled.

"I say we should keep him hostage in our camp so we can keep an eye on him at all times," Brightheart meowed.

Bramblestar nodded. "That's what I was thinking. ShadowClan may or may not want him back but if they do we'll -"

"But if they do, what?" Cloudtail meowed.

"I was just going to tell you, Cloudtail," Bramblestar meowed irritably. "If they want him back we'll give him back." Ivypool's tail twitched nervously.

"What about my kits?" she meowed frantically. Bumblestripe licked her comfortingly between the ears and she pressed against him gratefully.

"Maybe if we give him back we should make an agreement that he stays in camp for three moons?" suggested Tigerheart in a low growl.

"And if he wants to make dirt he should have at least one warrior with him," added Bumblestripe. His comment instantly comforted Ivypool.

"Right." Bramblestar sat back on his haunches. "It's decided then. Squirrelflight, lead a patrol to go find him. Take.." he paused for a moment. "Take Cloudtail, Brightheart, and

Maplepaw."

"What about us?" Dovewing challenged. "We want to come and find him so he can't harm another hair on our kits' pelts!"

Bramblestar nodded. "Exactly. You need to stay here so you can protect your kits as well as the others, okay?"

Dovewing sat back down, hissing in annoyance.

. . .

Silverpaw shared tongues with her brothers and sisters. A barbed tongue scraped her blinded eyes.

"What if I can never see again?" she whispered. Spottedpaw's voice sounded close and sad as she spoke.

"Uh.. That's the case, Silverpaw. Your eyes are damaged. You'll never see anything ever again."

"I knew it. I knew it!" Silverpaw meowed. "I'll be the first blind warrior."

Spottedpaw didn't say anything, but she felt sadness cloud her mind as she listened to her sister. Dovewing and Tigerheart entered the den.

"Silverpaw.." whispered Dovewing softly. "My kit..oh..my kit..my poor, poor kit.." Silverpaw opened her mouth to object but no words came out. Instead, she nuzzled against her mother.

"Some cats are going out to find Raggedtail," Tigerheart hissed menacingly. "They're going to find him and _shred_ him till all he will be doing is rotting away in the Dark Forest." Silverpaw sighed.

The sound of a leaf being unwrapped told Silverpaw that Spottedpaw was unwrapping something. Spottedpaw nudged her sister. "Suck on this, okay? It will make you feel better." Silverpaw felt around until her paw hit something sticky. Spottedpaw pushed her mouth open and shoved something into it. Silverpaw sucked at it and then started sucking hard. It felt nice to have the sweet, cool sustanance in her mouth anyway.

Spottedpaw started for the den entrance. "I have to go collect some mallow. I'll be back before moonhigh."

"Spottedpaw," Tigerheart mewed, "Don't go outside the camp, okay? It's not safe anymore. Not until Raggedtail is kept prisoner or dead."

Spottedpaw shook her head. "I'll be fine, honestly! Raggedtail's forgotten his warrior moves!"

"Still, be careful," Dovewing cautioned.

"I will," Spottedpaw meowed.

Her parents' eyes still were wide and alarmed as they left the den.

. . .

Spottedpaw started for the RiverClan border. Her paws were tingling. She could have been collecting mallow if it weren't for that stupid RiverClan tom. And of course, mallow was also by the RiverClan border. She shrugged. Suddenly, a small body crashed into her side. She looked up. It was the apprentice she had met the previous day. "Hey!" she yowled. He got off her and she rolled him to the ground , keeping her claws sheathed.

"What are you doing here again?" he mewed in a friendly tone.

"Looking for herbs, what's it look like?" she snapped.

"Are you happy to see me?" he purred, not the least bit angry.

"Maybe," she replied. The two apprentices leaped at each other and rolled in the marsh, completely forgetting the consequences for being there.

. . .

Dovewing shared a squirrel with Tigerheart. She stood up. It was almost moonhigh. Why wasn't Spottedpaw back? And the patrol? What had happened to them?

A loud caterwauling sounded from the thorn barrier. Dovewing shot to her paws, bristling with fear. What had happened?

"What happened?" mewed Tigerheart.

"We were attacked," panted Brightheart.

"By who?" Ivypool rose to her paws, her ice-blue eyes wide with alarm.

Brightheart shook her head. "We couldn't see. We were in the shadows."

"But their scent?" Bumblestripe meowed from beside his mate. Their kits mewed in alarm as Ivypool moved away from them.

"Too close to the ShadowClan border. Couldn't tell," Maplepaw answered, her mew coming out in short gasps.

Tigerheart looked at the ginger-and-white apprentice, who was swaying unsteadily on her paws. "Go and see Jayfeather," he ordered his kit. She nodded and disappeared into Jayfeather's den. Squirrelflight padded over to Tigerheart. "I'm sorry we couldn't find your brother," she meowed. Dovewing raked her claws through the ground and extended her senses to the ShadowClan border.

A group of rogues stood by the border, triumph lighting their gazes. Dovewing extended her senses harder on them and realized that one of the attacking rogues was Raggedtail.

**Yeah it's a cliffy! I felt like ending it here because I'm tired and I spent over an hour typing this, so I really didn't feel like typing any more. Don't hate me for it, I promise I'll update soon!**

**Wait, I'm not done yet. I have some things to do first.**

**I don't have many cats for RiverClan, WindClan, or ShadowClan.**

**All reviewers who have posted a review on either Chapter7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, and Chapter 12 get to make up their own cat for either ShadowClan, WindClan, or RiverClan( or all three, but only one cat is allowed per Clan. This isn't against the rules..is it?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Glad to know you like the story!**

**Ok, I'll be updating sooner and it's probably because I'm so darn attached to this story that it takes a lot of willpower not to update soon. I've been fixing a couple chapters in the beginning and I'd like to thank you all for your support and thanks for the cats. I'll use them in later chapters, although any ShadowClan cats are thankfully accepted.**

**Also, just because you see Hollykit, doesn't mean she's Hollyleaf. Oh no, I have another plan for her in StarClan. : ) Cinderkit, Ivypool named her after her mentor (you know, Cinderheart. Ashkit because of his fur. **

**Ki05596 -thanks for the RiverClan apprentice's name and the WindClan cat. You now have two more cats to make up. **

**JayfeatherLuver1 - I appreciate your support and advice on Sandstorm and Dustpelt's deaths and I don't mean to be rude but that's a bit far-fetched, unless by falling star you mean a meteor that was on fire. Because a star is super big. **

**But you can review me the cats still, because you haven't yet. **

**Littleflower54276408 -thank you for giving me an idea on how they should die too. Also thanks for PM-ing me the cats. I will use their names too, and the ShadowClan cats will be used in this chapter. **

**PeaceLoveWolves - thanks for the cats. I've already decided their Clans: Thrushpaw- RiverClan**

**Softbreeze - WindClan**

**Amberheart - well you'll find out in this chapter. Go on!**

**:D**

"Dustpelt!" Squirrelflight called the dark tabby over. "Sandstorm!" The two warriors padded toward the ThunderClan deputy. She limped into the medicine den and Dovewing heard an irritated meow from Jayfeather.

"Oh, great StarClan. Spottedpaw, where are you?!"

. . ….

Spottedpaw rolled over . The RiverClan apprentice got off her and purred.

"So you do like me?" he meowed. Spottedpaw nodded.

"Do you remember a cat called Raggedtail?" she meowed. The sleek apprentice must have heard the sadness and anger in her voice, because he wasted no time in replying.

"Yeah.. why?" he mewed.

Spottedpaw felt embarrassed in telling a cat from an other Clan about their troubles, but judging by the peace since the Great Battle- Dovewing had told her about it- RiverClan wouldn't take advantages of ThunderClan and attack. Besides, she trusted this apprentice. He had saved her life. He was just a friend.

_Maybe more than a friend?_ "I used to come from a litter of eight," she began slowly. The apprentice's ears pricked in surprise.

"That's a lot of kits! Anyway, used to? What happened to the others?" he mewed, resting his tail on her shoulder. Normally Spottedpaw would've snapped at him, but now she didn't have the strength.

"One died, and my sister, Silverpaw, had her eyes scratched badly. She won't ever see again." The RiverClan apprentice flicked his tail at her ear gently.

"I'm sorry," he meowed quietly. "I've lost a littermate before. I know what it's like." He padded towards the edge of the lake.

"Raggedtail blinded her. He's a rogue now. He's the one who attacked me."

The RiverClan blinked and pressed his muzzle gently into her fur, then pulled away. "I'm sorry- I didn't mean to-" Spottedpaw flicked her tail at him.

"It's okay. It's nice to have a friend during these times."

"What's your name?" she asked him curiously.

"It's Flamepaw." Suddenly he darted forward and a fish dangled from his claws. "Here. I have to go. If I don't get back to camp Graymist will shred me for kit bedding. She's my mentor," he added quickly. "Meet me here tomorrow night."

. . . . . . . …

Bramblestar bounded over to the patrol. "What happened?" he meowed.

"I don't know, we were attacked," Cloudtail gasped.

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes. "Dustpelt!" he called. "Sandstorm." The two cats hurried across the clearing. Lilypaw and Seedpaw bounded after him, their fur fluffed up ready for a fight.

"I don't want any apprentices involved," Bramblestar meowed, flicking his tail. "If Raggedtail is leading a pack of rogues now I'm not letting you go. Thornclaw, you go too. The ShadowClan border and find out where these cats are. Drive them out. We can't have rogues in our territory. They're a danger to our kits and apprentices." The three warriors nodded and streaked out the barrier, fur bushed and ready for a fight. Cloudtail followed.

"Okay," mewed Sandstorm. Ivypool's kit, Cinderkit rushed over to the group of warriors. "Is ShadowClan attacking?" she mewed, her dark gray fur bristling. Her brother, Ashkit raced after her. "Let us help! We'll shred them!" Ivypool raced over to her.

"Get over here!" she meowed, her ice-blue eyes wide and alarmed. "ShadowClan isn't attacking. Sheathe your claws right now." Tigerheart stifled a purr of amusement.

"I'm coming!" spat Dovewing. "I'll _flay _that piece of fox-dung. I'll claw his entrails out, I'll rip out his liver and feed it to the crows. He's mine, Bramblestar, and don't you forget that." Tigerheart bounded to her side and started mewing something in her ear. Cinderkit, Ashkit, and Hollykit wrestled around in the dirt.

"I'm sorry Dovewing, you stay here," Bramblestar meowed firmly. "You have to protect your kits alright?"

Dovewing spat, fur bristling, but she stayed where she was.

. . . . . . ….

**This will be from Sandstorm's point of view**

The three warriors skidded to a halt at the ShadowClan border. Sandstorm let out a screech and flung herself at a rogue cat. It let out a screech of alarm and yowled a warning to the other cats. Raggedtail raised his tail, furious that the attack had taken him by surprise. Sandstorm spotted him and kicked at the rogue with unsheathed claws until he fled.

_This has to stop. Raggedtail's life must end._

Sandstorm clawed the dark tabby cat. His fur was even more ragged than ever, but she could tell that exile had not diminished the warrior's strength. He slashed at her face .

"You're a murderer," she hissed, raking her claws across his face.

Raggedtail tackled her down and the two cats tussled on the ground, claws unsheathed. Dustpelt and Brackenfur fought with the courage of StarClan, but they were outnumbered and they knew it.

"Why in StarClan's name," panted Dustpelt, digging his claws into a skinny gray tom's back, "didn't Bramblestar send more cats? He should've known there would be a lot of cats, too many to fight."

Sandstorm yowled as the dark ragged tabby dug his claws into her side. She managed to knock him over and braced herself for an attack, but something crashed into Raggedtail's body, knocking him aside, and Sandstorm caught a glimpse of broad shoulders and a black she-cat with striking amber eyes- Amberheart.

The first moment came as a relief. ShadowClan cats were attacking the rogue cats, and soon it was them who were outnumbered as ThunderClan fought them. The second, shock, terror, and fury.

In the middle of the clearing lay the unmoving body of Dustpelt. The skinny gray tom bent over him.

White hot fury rushed through Sandstorm. Firestar might be her mate now**(I know, he's dead now)** but Dustpelt had still been her friend. With a yowl, she flung herself at the tomcat and slashed him with her claws. She could kill him right now. There was so much blood rushing in her ears she couldn't hear her Clanmates' yowls.

Raggedtail flung himself at Sandstorm and knocked her away from the gray tomcat.

"Retreat!" he yowled. Sandstorm slashed at his nose and the ShadowClan cats Hawkblaze **(dark brown-and-white tom)**,Ashpool **(gray she-cat with blue eyes)** ,Cricketjaw,**( a gray she-cat with wide amber eye and a twisted jaw) **,and Ratscar chased them a few tail-lengths away.

"Thanks," mewed Sandstorm to Cricketjaw, who was leading the patrol. "WE would've been crowfood without you."

The dark gray she-cat nodded. "Is anyone badly hurt?"

They shook their heads, even Cloudtail, who was bleeding from the first attack

"What about that one?" Amberheart flicked her tail at Dustpelt.

"He's dead," murmured Thornclaw sadly.

Amberheart nodded. "He was a mentor. I didn't know him, but I heard he was a great warrior. ShadowClan regrets his loss."

"He was." Sandstorm gripped his scruff with her teeth. "Thank you.

. . . ….. .. .. …..

Sandstorm padded into the medicine den after sitting vigil with Dustpelt after a few moments.

Maplepaw was still laying in the medicine den. Spottedpaw was examining her paw. "It's still bleeding," the apprentice medicine cat reported.

"It should've stopped by now," Jayfeather muttered. "I'll go get the horsetail and bind it with the cobweb." He squeezed in through the back of the den.

"Sandstorm!" Spottedpaw mewed in alarm. "Are you okay?"

"Just a few scratches," Sandstorm meowed. "If you're busy I can wait."

"I heard it was rogue cats who attacked us," Maplepaw mewed. "And Raggedtail was with him. Is it true?"

"It's true," Sandstorm mewed.

Spottedpaw started bristling. "How dare you speak that hated cat's name?" she mewed with a hiss.

"Sorry," Maplepaw apologized. "What did he do?" she asked, turning to Sandstorm

"He killed Dustpelt," spat Sandstorm.

"Bramblestar should've killed Raggedtail when he had the chance," mewed Maplepaw. Silverpaw stared at them as if she could see.

"He never would've killed his nephew in cold blood. You know that."

"But why would he kill Dustpelt like that?"

"Bramblestar _HAS _to kill him. He has no reason not to, nephew or not," meowed Spottedpaw.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N - SO SORRY! I cannot believe how long I've been put off. You guys must be REALLY mad. After I answer the reviews I'll give you the story you've been waiting for. **

**78 reviews! You guys are being nice to me! When we hit the 100 review mark.. Well, here..**

**mogoer - Thanks. I guess I really didn't think of that. Even though I'm explaining the stuff now, it doesn't give me an excuse not explaining in the beginning. So it will get fixed. I didn't think anyone would really wonder, but here's the explanation: 1)When I said Raggedtail was born before the Great Battle I meant like at the time Dawnpelt accused Jayfeather of murder. I should have explained that. It will be fixed soon(whenever I can get around to it. I use a family computer so it depends).**

**JayfeatherLuver1 - thanks for the cat names!**

**brindlestar- thanks, I fixed it last week.**

**Guest - so, not many people like Dovewing x Tigerheart fanfictions. . . If you don't like the story: DON'T READ IT.**

**Guest- you're the same guest, aren't you? If you don't like forbidden love, deal with it. I like doing this story and you can say whatever you like, but I'm not making it into a Dove x Bumble fic. Got it?**

**Guest 2 -thanks for the cat but you didn't choose which Clan she's in.**

**littleflower54276408 - yeah he does. I'm doing 20 -25 chapters though so Raggedtail won't die until chapter 20/25. Deathberries.. He deserves that for trying to feed Nettlepaw them..**

I really should change the summary. It's not about Raggedtail in ThunderClan anymore. It's like "cats getting killed everywhere" stuff like that.

**Ki05596 - thank you!**

**Kidzilla20 - that's funny right there. : )**

**Al right.. On with the story!**

Spottedpaw tipped her head to one side. "He should've done it long ago," she mewed. "Before Raggedtail became so powerful."

Maplepaw blinked. "You mean, before he attacked Silverpaw?" she asked.

"Hey Maplepaw," mewed Silverpaw. "What did he say when he attacked you?"

"Oh, the same thing he said when he left," replied Maplepaw. Sandstorm sneezed as Jayfeather reentered the den.

Spottedpaw turned away when Maplepaw mewed, her voice muffled, "It still hurts you know!"

Jayfeather rolled his eyes and padded over to Sandstorm. "Here, Spottedpaw. You use those cobwebs while I tend to Sandstorm's wounds."

Spottedpaw nodded. "Okay.." she mewed. Maplepaw narrowed her eyes.

"What's the matter? You usually don't sound like that."

"It's nothing," Spottedpaw meowed. "I just wanted to do something." Maplepaw stared at her through narrowed eyes for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

Silverpaw flicked her tail, her scarred eyes wide and troubled. "What did he kill Dustpelt?" she meowed quietly. "Dustpelt never did anything to him. Why?"

Spottedpaw sighed. "I don't know." The losses disturbed her. Raggedtail was attacking only the patrols with few cats, but never patrols with enough cats to take on his pitiful band of rogues.

"The Gathering's tomorrow night," murmured Silverpaw. "Do you think he'll attack our patrol? Or the camp?"

"I don't know," replied Maplepaw. "Don't you? He killed Dustpelt and tried to kill our littermates.. Do you think he'd worry about breaking the truce?" She winced as Spottedpaw started putting the horsetail-and-cobweb mixture over her wound. "He's an outcast, now, not a warrior. It's obvious that he doesn't follow the warrior code any more."

Silverpaw nodded. "A true warrior doesn't need to kill to prove he's won."

Spottedpaw shrugged. "Anyway," she meowed, "He probably would. So I don't think we're going."

Jayfeather padded over to them. Briarlight poked her head out of her nest. "Where's Sandstorm?"

"Do your exercises," Jayfeather ordered. Briarlight gave a mew of protest but she dutifully began to do her stretches.

"I'll tell Bramblestar. He'll probably want to hold a meeting with the senior warriors," Jayfeather muttered. Silverpaw scrambled to her paws and ended up tripping. "I'll tell him," she mewed. Jayfeather narrowed his eyes.

"I will," he replied. "You can hardly walk-"

"I can walk!" Silverpaw bristled. Jayfeather stifled a purr of amusement.

"Hardly. You're tripping over your own front paws," snapped Jayfeather irritably. "I'll tell him."

Silverpaw bristled. "Just because you're blind since birth doesn't make you better than me!" she snapped. Jayfeather let out a _mrrow_ of amusement.

"I'm more experienced, Silverpaw," he reminded her irritably, and padded out of the den.

"Mouse-dung!" spat Maplepaw. Spottedpaw blinked.

"I can't wait for the Gathering," she meowed. Maplepaw stared at her.

"The _Gathering_?" she meowed in surprise. "Why?" Spottedpaw stared at her paws..

"Nothing.. just I wanted to see what would happen," she mumbled, not looking at her littermates. Silverpaw was about to make a sharp retort when Maplepaw piped up, "It's still bleeding you know!"

"Okay, I'll get to it," meowed Spottedpaw, pushing the last of the horsetail-and-cobweb mixture over to her Maplepaw sniffed.

"About time!" she grumbled. Ravenpaw entered the den.

"Hi, Ravenpaw," mewed Silverpaw. "Where's Toadstep?"

"He told me to get some sleep," muttered Ravenpaw. Silverpaw pressed her muzzle to his cheek.

"Why'd you come here then?" she asked curiously. Ravenpaw lashed his tail in annoyance. "I'm not tired, and Nettlepaw's snoring louder than a badger hibernating in winter anyway, so it's not like I can get some sleep." He looked around the den. "Where's Featherpaw and Stormpaw?"

"They went to sleep before the attack," snorted Jayfeather, coming into the den. "Great StarClan! Why are there four cats in the den now?" He tasted the air. "Bramblestar's holding a meeting," he muttered. "Not that it will help much. He's done it before, and Raggedtail was never caught." Jayfeather sighed.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Sandstorm's irritated grumble sounded outside the den.

"What now?" she grumbled.

"Lilypaw, since Dustpelt died you are without a mentor. He was a noble warrior and he died defending his Clan. Squirrelflight, I trust you to carry on Lilypaw's training." He flicked his tail and raised his voice. "Raggedtail is still in our territory and he leads a band of rogues now. We need to root him out. From now on, until he is held prisoner or dead, no apprentices will go out without at least two warriors-"

"_Two_ warriors?" echoed Seedpaw. Bramblestar nodded, his eyes narrowed. "You saw what he did to Dustpelt." He continued yowling from the Highledge. "We will have search patrols in addition to the regular patrols." Bumblestripe raised his tail, but before he could say anything, Brightheart padded right past him, almost knocking him over.

"Bramblestar!" she cried. "My kits are missing!" Cloudtail was flicking his tail nervously.

"Dustpaw, Sandpaw,and Blossompaw?" Bramblestar meowed in surprise. Brightheart nodded, her eyes wide with anger and terror.

Cloudtail nodded. "They went to make their dirt-at least, that's what they said," he meowed. "But they're missing now- they went missing after you sent me out." He shook his head. "If any of them are dead, I'll never forgive myself."

Brightheart flicked her tail in alarm. "What if Raggedtail's rogues got them?"

Bramblestar's fur was bristling in alarm already. "I was just going to make them warriors," he murmured. Squirrelflight jerked up her head. "Send a patrol to go find them," she ordered. "Now."

Sandstorm lashed her tail. "His rogues could be attacking them right now,"she pointed out. Squirrelflight sniffed. "Then what do you suggust, Sandstorm? Wait for them to get attacked? Cloudtail, Bumblestripe, Blossomfall, Cinderheart, Lionblaze, go find them." She blinked. "I'm coming too."

**Does this count as a cliffhanger? Yep! Tell me should Raggedtail's band of rogues attack? I've decided the sequel should be something like SkyClan's return, but if you have other ideas just answer in the reviews! : )**

**Please vote on the poll for their full names!**


	16. Chapter 16

**I hate school! It cuts into my writing time!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. Erin Hunter does; however, the plot is mine.**

**Flamewing- thanks for the reviews. I needed Raggedtail to play an important roll in trying to kill cats and stuff like that. **

**littleflower54276408 - okay, I will get to that. Thank you! : )**

**A/N I haven't planned this story. AT ALL. So that means that the cats could chase off the rogues or the whole Clan could die. Just kidding, but it might not be that good.**

**Story..**

Cloudtail sniffed the air. "They went this way," he meowed. "Come on, let's go!" He bounded down the slope. "Sandpaw, Dustpaw, and Blossompaw's scents are here," he called to them. Lionblaze pricked his ears.

"Can you hear that?" he meowed. Cloudtail shook his head.

"Someone's fighting," he meowed. "Come on, we have to see." Cloudtail narrowed his blue eyes.

"It might be my kits." He flicked his tail at the patrol. "We're going this way," he meowed. Squirrelflight blinked.

"All right," she meowed. Bumblestripe shifted his paws. "I'm coming with you, " he decided. Blossomfall unsheathed her claws. "Me too," she decided.

Cinderheart pushed through the bracken. "Cloudtail," she whispered, "It's your kits!"

"If we surprise them, maybe we can scare them off," mewed Lionblaze, raising his tail. Cloudtail nodded.

"Okay then." He charged down the slope, bristling. The other cats followed, fur bushed and ready for a fight.

… ….. . .. . .. .. .. .. . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . … .. . . . . .

Squirrelflight hurled herself onto a rogue's back, claws scoring down his back. Cloudtail was locked in a fight with Raggedtail, claws ripping, teeth biting, and would not let go. Lionblaze and Cinderheart fought side-by-side at a brown-and-cream tom. Bumblestripe and Blossomfall slashed viscously at a tortoiseshell she-cat, who disappeared wailing among the rogues.

"Retreat!" Raggedtail lashed his tail. Cloudtail raced right after them.

"Cowards!" he yowled. Squirrelflight was at his side, yowling insults at Raggedtail's pack of rogues. "Come here and fight!" she screeched.

"This isn't the end of this," snarled Raggedtail before disappearing into the bushes.

"Blossompaw!"

Cloudtail hurried back to where the apprentices had been attacked. Sandpaw and Dustpaw stared wide-eyed at their littermate.

"Oh, no.." Squirrelflight choked. "No.. oh, StarClan, no.." The dark ginger was staring at a crumpled tortoiseshell body. "Oh, StarClan.."

"What happened?" Cloudtail rasped as he raced up the slope. And then he saw Blossompaw, lying either unconscious or dead on the ground.

"I'll _flay_ Raggedtail!" Dustpaw spat. "I'll scatter his entrails from here to the old ThunderClan camp. He's mine, Squirrelflight, and don't you forget that."

"And don't forget you're under my orders," the she-cat mewed, but her voice was hollow, as if she wasn't sure about ordering the sad and angry apprentice around.

"Another death.. So soon," Lionblaze mewed quietly. Blossomfall lowered her head. Bumblestripe shook his head.

"Come on," he meowed. "We have to get back to camp."

. … . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . … . ….. … . . .. . . . .

Bramblestar bounded across the clearing. "How did it go?" he meowed.

"Blossompaw's alive, but barely," Jayfeather meowed. "I've done all I can. I'm so, so sorry, Cloudtail."

"Without ever being a warrior," Nettlepaw mewed sadly.

"Not necessarily." Bramblestar raised his voice slowly. "There is a ceremony - Bluestar used it in giving Brightheart the name of Lostface. Not many of you will know about it, besides the tales." He hesitated. "If she lives, she will still keep the name," he went on. "I had this planned for her warrior ceremony, so it will still be the same."

"I ask my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has learned the warrior code and has given up her life in the service of her Clan. " He paused. "She will be known as Blossomstripe, in honor of her courage and loyalty. Let StarClan receive her as a warrior," he finished, and bent down to lick Blossomstripe's head. "There, it is done." Sandpaw and Dustpaw padded over to her.

Jayfeather flicked his tail. "Leave them," he meowed. "If she's not strong enough, she won't live, and they want to spend their time with her." Spottedpaw felt her heart pounding with guilt. If Blossomstripe died while she was away, part of the blame would be on her, for not doing her duties as a medicine cat.

_Stop it!_ Spottedpaw thought as she bounded towards the lakeside. Blossomstripe would live.

"Hi, Spottedpaw!"

She looked towards where the sound came from. "Flamepaw!" she purred and rolled onto him. He slithered from under her. "I told you I would come," he mewed. Spottedpaw flicked her tail.

"The gathering's tomorrow night," she meowed. "Are you coming?" Flamepaw flicked his tail at her.

"Only if you are," he meowed.

"Of course I'm coming," Spottedpaw mewed. "I _have_ to come, I'm the ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice." She paused and nervously flicked her tail. "Raggedtail attacked again last night," she went on, "And Blossompaw- Blossomstripe now- was badly injured." Flamepaw tipped his head as he looked at the calm water.

"How did you manage to get here then, if you're so busy?"

"We're done now," Spottedpaw mewed. "I snuck out of camp after we were done."

Flamepaw flicked his tail at her thoughtfully. "How's Silverpaw? Is she better?" He flashed out a paw and grabbed a fish.

"She's fine," Spottedpaw meowed. Flamepaw suddenly sniffed the air.

"The moonlight patrol's coming, you'd better hide. In those reeds." Spottedpaw nodded, tense, and flattened herself as she crept into the reeds.

"_Flamepaw_?" Mintfur's voice was shocked. "What are you doing out here? You aren't on patrol, and further more, you aren't even a warrior!" Hollowflight frowned.

"That's right. Where's Graymist?" He twitched his ears, clearly wishing for an answer. Flamepaw flicked his tail nervously. Rushpaw nodded at him. "It's too late for you to be up this late," he observed. Flamepaw bristled at the gray tabby.

"Well, I _am_ almost a warrior," boasted the apprentice.

"Flamepaw?" Hollowflight meowed, flicking his tail at his apprentice to quiet him

"I couldn't sleep," Flamepaw meowed. Hollowflight narrowed his eyes.

"So you decided to go out of camp?" The dark brown tabby sounded disbelieving. Flamepaw nodded. Spottedpaw blinked, admiring his courage.

"I caught something.." Flamepaw started defensively.

Hollowflight lashed his tail. "Where is it?" Flamepaw padded over to his catch.

"Here it is," he meowed. "Happy?" Mintfur lashed his tail.

"You still shouldn't have been out of camp," he growled. Spottedpaw watched, and felt her hackles rising.

Flamepaw dipped his head to Mintfur. "Okay," he meowed. "I won't." Rushpaw shot Flamepaw a smug look.

"I told you," he sniffed. Spottedpaw narrowed her eyes._ How rude,_ she thought.

Flamepaw glanced at the gray tabby through narrowed eyes and padded after Hollowflight and Mintfur. Rushpaw followed, his tail high in the air.

. . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . .. … ….. …. . .

Spottedpaw pushed through the barrier and padded toward the medicine den. Blossomstripe was lying on her side, her flanks stirring as she breathed.

Sandpaw glared at her as she crossed the clearing. "Where have _you _been?" she growled. Spottedpaw bristled. "Just out for a walk," she lied. Sandpaw glared at her. "Why would you take a walk with Blossomstripe hurt like that?"

"There was nothing else we could do!" she meowed quietly. "Put your claws away, Sandpaw! Can't you see the rest of the Clan is grieving too?"

Sandpaw glared at her. "That's easy for you to say! She's my _littermate_! Not just a Clanmate!" Sandpaw buried her nose in Dustpaw's fur.

"I'm sorry-" Spottedpaw started.

"Next time, try thinking beyond your own whiskers!" snapped Dustpaw. "Leave her alone, Spottedpaw."

Spottedpaw stared at her friends. "You don't understand!" she spat, and padded into the medicine den. Closing her eyes, she fell into a troubled sleep.

**The computer's not working so good, I have to get off.**


	17. Chapter 17

**You'll never guess WHAT is happening here! **

**Well.. it's flash flooding . For real. The stream next to the road looks like a massive creek. And all the roads are closed, so there's no getting out. **

**Short.. but I have no excuse..**

**Reviews:**

**littleflower54276408 - I know, huh.. though yeah Raggedtail deserves to die a slow and painful death, I kinda thought deathberries are better idea… or he gets blinded before the whole Clan kills him.. **

**Logicaly Illogical - 1) Thank you! :D 2) You write fluffy stories too O_O**

**Guest - okay.. er I'm not sure what that meant. :/**

**I haven't planned this. AT ALL. Please give me some suggestions.( I've got that flooding on my mind so don't kill me if it's bad. The flooding hasn't put the power out YET, but the reporters or whatever they call them are monitoring our water for contamination every **_**MINUTE**_**.)**

**Story..**

Spottedpaw blinked open her eyes in a dream. A dark gray she-cat in an awkward position stood in front of her.

"Are you-"

" Spottedpaw," the she-cat mewed, flicking her tail dismissively. "Your Clan needs to catch Raggedtail, and kill him."

Spottedpaw bristled. "Do you think I haven't tried?" she hissed. "It's not _my_ fault Bramblestar exiled Raggedtail instead of killing him!" She looked at her paws, embarrassed. "Sorry," she muttered. "But really, you StarClan cats have it easy, you don't understand how hard it is."

The gray she-cat shook her head. "There's a way, if you put your mind to it.."

Spottedpaw shook her head in irritation. Why did StarClan have to make things so _difficult_? "Can't you tell me?" she mewed.

The dark gray she-cat shook her head. "I can't. You know what he likes to do, and how he attacks. The answer should be easy to think of."

Spottedpaw let out an irritated hiss, but the she-cat was already fading. She pounced, trying to keep the StarClan cat there, but she had already faded.

"Spottedpaw!" It was Jayfeather. "Spottedpaw, are you going to sleep all day? There's work to do. A medicine cat can't just lay back in his or her den and do nothing." He let out an irritated snort. "They have to heal wounds, help sick cats.."

Spottedpaw scrambled to her paws. "Wha-"

Jayfeather sniffed. "I thought so." He narrowed his eyes. "What's the matter with you, Spottedpaw?"

"Nothing, I must have had a strange dream," muttered Spottedpaw. She shook out her fur. "I'm okay now."

Jayfeather flicked his tail. "About time." He snorted. "Anyway, Blossomstripe just woke up. Dustpaw and Sandpaw are with her, just leave them alone and come if they call you about something wrong."

"Uh, right." Spottedpaw nodded and shot off.

….. . . .. .. . . . . …. …..

Silverpaw opened her eyes to darkness. She blinked in confusion. Then she remembered: She was blind. She would never see again. Silverpaw stumbled to her paws and tried to get out of the den, tripping over a pile of twigs on her way out and falling onto her face. Silverpaw groaned and hauled herself to her paws. She heard pawsteps approaching and sniffed the air.

"Who is it?" she mumbled, not really caring who.

"Sheesh. It's me. Hollykit." Silverpaw blinked in surprise.

"Holly_kit_?" she mewed. "Still?" She pricked her ears, waiting for an answer.

"Not for longer," boasted the kit.

"When are you going to be made into an apprentice?" Silverpaw decided to let the kit tell her about it.

"Today, whenever Bramblestar gets to it." Hollykit paused. "Bramblestar's making Seedpaw and Lilypaw warriors.. I don't know when." She bounced excitedly. "I wonder what their warrior names will be."

Silverpaw listened o the kit sadly, remembering the days when she had trained with Cinderheart in the forest, hunting and battle-training.. She shook her head. There was no use thinking about that anymore. She was blind now. Her past life was nothing but memories now. "What do you think their warrior names will be?" she asked Hollykit.

Hollykit flicked her tail. "I don't know. Maybe Lilytail and Seedwhisker?"

"Maybe." Silverpaw sat down and tucked her paws underneath her. "What do you want your warrior name to be when it's your turn?"

"Bramblestar chooses, but I hope he chooses Hollystorm for me."

Silverpaw nodded. "Okay," she replied, rising to her paws. "Do you know where my littermates are?" she meowed.

"Nettlepaw, Lilypaw, and Seedpaw went out hunting with Sandstorm and Tigerheart," Hollykit mewed.

"What about Maplepaw, Ravenpaw, Featherpaw, and Stormpaw?" Silverpaw started edging away from Hollykit.

"They went out battle-training with Blossomfall and Bumblestripe."

"So they're _all_ out of camp?" Silverpaw meowed, half-shocked.

"Yeah, Squirrelflight wants to assess their skills." Hollykit blinked. "Don't worry, Silverpaw, they all have warriors with them-"

She was cut off and Silverpaw heard Ashkit's meow. "I win! Now I'll be leader and you can be my apprentice." Cinderkit's mew broke in.

"That move you used on her was amazing! She never saw it coming! Teach me how you do it!" Silverpaw heard their paws scuffling the ground as they tussled in the dust.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting," Bramblestar meowed.

"He's making us apprentices!" Silverpaw heard Ashkit mew.

"No he's not, you stinky furball, he can't make you an apprentice because you stink and can't hunt," retorted Cinderkit. "The prey will smell you long before you can sneak up on them

"Liar!"

Silverpaw stifled a _mrrow _of laughter at Ashkit's angry whisper.

"Two apprentices completed their warrior assessments today, and I think they are ready to become warriors."

"Has Tigerheart taken on Lilypaw too, since Dustpelt died?" meowed Sorreltail.

"Of course!" replied Cinderheart. "Don't you remember?"

Silverpaw blinked and stumbled across the clearing.

"Tigerheart," Bramblestar meowed loudly and clearly, "has Lilypaw learned the skills of a warrior?"

"Yes, Bramblestar," Tigerheart replied.

"Sandstorm, can you say the same for Seedpaw?"

"I can," the ginger she-cat replied.

Bramblestar raised his head to the sky. "I ask my warrior ancestors to look down upon these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand your noble code, and I commend them as warriors in your turn." Turning to the two she-cats, he meowed, "Lilypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," replied Lilypaw.

"Then by the powers of StarClan," meowed Bramblestar, "I give you your warrior name. Lilypaw, from this day on you will be known as Lilystorm. StarClan honors your endurance and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior in ThunderClan." He rested his muzzle on her head, and she licked his shoulder in response. "Seedpaw," he continued, "do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan," he meowed, "I give you your warrior name. Seedpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Seedfur. StarClan honors your kindness and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior in ThunderClan." He pressed his muzzle on her head, and she licked his shoulder in response.

"Lilystorm! Seedfur! Lilystorm! Seedfur!" the Clan yowled, greeting the two new warriors by their warrior names.

"Remember, you have to stay silent until moonhigh," Sandstorm mewed as the two new warriors took their places at the barrier.

… … .. . . . ….. … .. … … . . .. . . . . . . … . . . . . . . . . . ..

Spottedpaw followed the cats out of camp as they headed for the island. The dream was still nagging at the back of her mind. She was sure the rogue cats would attack tonight..

**Guess who the gray cat was: Cinderpelt, Yellowfang, or Bluestar?**

**Eh, I think I'm going to quit now. I guess you could count it as a cliffhanger, because the Gathering was supposed to be in this chapter and I'm tired now. Should dthe rogue attack? I hope you guys'll say yes, cause I'm itching for more suspense. Give me some suggestions. **

**Don't hate me! This was all I could get done at 8:30.  
**

**I'll update tomorrow insh'allah. **


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry I didn't update yesterday like I said I would. The update got lost, and my computer didn't save everything, and I had to type over four pages of work.**

**Reviews:**

**The Song of The Felines - 1) Yes it was Yellowfang or Cinderpelt; I'll answer after I'm finished with the story. 2) thank you! : )**

**Littleflower54276408 - 1) you have to wait for the reviews to be finished 2) Thanks for the suggestion 3) Thank you for telling me about that mistake of Hollykit's; yeah it's because her grammar is poor because she's a kit(aren't they all?). : )**

**IrisFrostfeather - 1)Thank you 2) yeah I'll check out and review on your story when I have time. : )**

**Answer: **

**It was Yellowfang.**

**Story..**

Maplepaw was the last of the ThunderClan cats to reach the island. Ravenpaw shivered beside her.

"It's cold," he complained. Seedfur shrugged beside him.

"It's a clear night," she pointed out. "The nights are always cold when it's clear."

"I'm glad I'm not a RiverClan cat," he mewed. "I'd be living by the lake, and there'd be no shelter-" he was cut off by a RiverClan she-cat.

"We have shelter!" she retorted. "It's our cover, too, and if you'd noticed, there are plenty of places to keep warm."

Ravenpaw opened his mouth to object, but the she-cat had already left.

Dovewing flicked her tail across her son's nose. "Don't worry about that. RiverClan has their own shelter, just as we have the trees."

Ravenpaw shrugged. "I'm still glad I'm not a RiverClan cat," he meowed, and raced across the grass.

Maplepaw frowned. _Where was Spottedpaw? _she wondered. Maybe she had gone to talk with the other medicine cats. She shrugged. Oh well.

. .. . . . . . .. . . .. …. ….. …

Spottedpaw raced across the clearing. Where was Flamepaw? She tried to spot his pelt among the jumble of fur.

" Spottedpaw!"

She turned around. _Flamepaw!_ Spottedpaw raced toward the apprentice. "Hi, Flamepaw!"

"Hi, Spottedpaw." He looked around. "After Hollowflight and Mintfur caught me out, I was on my best behavior so Graymist couldn't possibly leave me behind." He looked at her. "Has Raggedtail attacked lately?" he asked in a lower voice.

"Not recently, but I'm sure he'll attack tonight." Flamepaw frowned.

"You think he'd break the truce?"

"He killed Dustpelt and tried to kill my littermates- don't you think so?" Spottedpaw meowed.

"Probably not. He knows how many cats come to a Gathering-"

"He leads a band of rogues, Flamepaw!" she mewed.

"Oh. Right."

Maplepaw burst through the brambles. "Spottedpaw-?" she started. Instantly Spottedpaw jumped back from the RiverClan apprentice.

"What are you doing?" she asked curiously

"Just talking about leaf-bare," Flamepaw replied. "Spottedpaw said that you're finding it hard to catch prey- right, Spottedpaw?"

Spottedpaw nodded helplessly. There was nothing else she could think of. Maplepaw narrowed her eyes and nodded. "Well, the Gathering's started," she meowed.

Spottedpaw shot a glance at Flamepaw. He nodded at her and they pushed through the brambles. Maplepaw burst into the clearing.

"I found her, Dovewing," she meowed. "Just talking with a RiverClan cat."

Spottedpaw shot her sister a glance; she wished Maplepaw hadn't told Dovewing about where she'd found Spottedpaw, but there was no time to tell her.

"ShadowClan has three new warriors: Sparrowpaw, Mistpaw, and Dewpaw are now Sparrowflight, Miststorm, and Dewleaf," Blackstar announced.

"Sparrowflight! Miststorm! Dewleaf! Sparrowflight! Miststorm! Dewleaf!"

Maplepaw joined in as the Clans cheered the new warriors' names. Blackstar went on.

"Our medicine cat Littlecloud has taken on a new apprentice. Sorrelpaw will be the next medicine cat of ShadowClan."

"Sorrelpaw! Sorrelpaw!" Blackstar stepped back from his branch, beckoning to Onestar to speak next.

"WindClan has two new warriors: Windflight and Redstorm."

Maplepaw walked over to Ravenpaw as the Clans chanted the new warriors' names.

"And," Onestar paused sorrowfully, "It is with sadness I announce the death of Kestrelflight's apprentice, Patchpaw. He was attacked by rogues."

Gasps of horror gripped the Clans for a few moments: Onestar allowed them to exchange mews of grief or sorrow before he went on:

"Kestrelflight has taken on another apprentice: Mintpaw," Onestar finished.

"RiverClan has a new warrior: Leopardpaw is now Leopardstorm," Mistystar meowed, and then continued: "I have more news: One of our apprentices, Silverpaw, is dead. She has gone to StarClan as warrior, however; as she died protecting her Clan. Her name is now Silverdust."

The Clans exchanged shocked and horrified glances; the deaths among the Clans seemed to be caused by rogues. Maplepaw drew in a shocked breath; obviously ThunderClan was not the only Clan Raggedtail had decided to target with his rogues.

"I have news," Bramblestar announced. "One of our warriors, Dustpelt, is dead. ShadowClan helped us fight off the rogues who killed him. " He dipped his head to Blackstar. "ThunderClan thanks you for your help."

Shock filled the clearing; just as it had when Silverdust and Patchpaw's deaths had done.

"And Blossompaw is now Blossomstripe. She is healing, and will come to the Gathering as soon as she is fully healed."

Sandpaw and Dustpaw looked up at the mention of their injured littermate. Maplepaw blinked in annoyance as they shot an angry glare at Spottedpaw; did they have to blame Spottedpaw for everything? She shrugged and turned her attention back to the Great Oak where the four leaders were announcing their news.

"I have more news," Bramblestar meowed. "Raggedtail, who we exiled for trying to kill Dovewing's kits, leads a band of rogues now."

Tawnypelt and Dawnpelt looked shocked and saddened at the announcement; Rowanclaw was bristling. Maplepaw couldn't tell whether it was with anger or horrified shock at his son trying to harm helpless kits.

"His rogues may be the rogue who have killed or attacked your patrols," Bramblestar continued.

Suddenly a yowling broke in, and Maplepaw saw strange cats were ganging on the Clans and attacking them.

…**Back at camp, Silverpaw's point of view**…..

Silverpaw opened her eyes to see a gray-she-cat; her blue eyes were shadowed with fear. She'd seen this cat before. "Bluestar?"

"Silverpaw," Bluestar hissed. "The cats at the Gathering are being attacked. Raggedtail chose his moment well. Wake up and warn your Clan!"

Silverpaw opened her eyes to darkness and stumbled to her paws. "Briarlight!" She called to the only cat who shared the den tonight. The she-cat dragged herself towards her.

"What's the matter, Silverpaw?" she grumbled.

"The cats at the Gathering are being attacked," she mewed. A mew from outside the den answered her instead.

"Oh? And why should we believe you?" It was Moleflight, a young warrior

"For all the Clans' sake, Moleflight, a StarClan cat herself just told me!" she hissed in annoyance.

The ThunderClan cats wasted no time in racing toward the island, although the apprentices had a woefully hard time getting up. They were worried but excited. It was their first battle since the Great Battle after all.

Silverpaw heard her Clanmates hurrying out of camp; their scents thick with fear. It was chaos.

…..**Maplepaw's point of view(is there any abbreviation for point of view?-**

Maplepaw flung herself at a ginger she-cat who stank of crow-food. Her eyes glittered as she raked her claws across Maplepaw's cheek; Maplepaw bit back a yowl of pain and bit hard on the she-cat's leg, sending her away yowling. _How did I do that? _she wondered._ I haven't had much training!_

But they lacked reinforcements, and if they were going to win, they needed it, and fast.

She hurried over to help Ravenpaw, who was squirming underneath a gray-and-white tomcat, and as she pushed him away, a yowl broke out.

"One of Bramblestar's lives have been taken!"

Her training seemed lost in her head at the cry, and her mind whirled. A scarred she-cat stood over the ThunderClan leader's body, a triumphant smirk on her scarred face.

Maplepaw tried to remember the moves Brightheart had taught her, but already Dawnpelt was in whirlwind of teeth and claws with the she-cat. Dawnpelt drew her back, and the she-cat, being weakened by other battles, turned and fled.

Suddenly a wave of ThunderClan cats broke through, and Maplepaw stared in surprise as the rogues began to get outnumbered.

As she looked at what the pieces of fox-dung had left when they attacked, she felt only two things: Sorrow, and raw fury.

**Does this count as a cliffhanger? Yep. Please give me suggestions, critism, and advice.**

**Littleflower54276408 - I'll use your idea on Ch. 20. I have to finish the battle first(it's technically not finished yet; the rogues haven't retreated yet.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry, I was kinda busy and FINALLY got to posting this story.**

**Well, since the flood's been going on, I have been pretty bored lately, and when I'm bored, I type away. :/**

**The result of me being very bored is you getting more chapters to read faster. :D**

**Reviews****:**

**Song of The Felines - Thank you for telling me! : )**

**littleflower54276408 - 1) You're welcome : ) 2) The rogues follow him because he's pretty much the most powerful rogue there is near the lake, mostly because he was a Clan warrior first. 3) Well, no offense, but don't you think it'd be weird if Flamepaw joined the Clan for Spottedpaw? Because even if he did, she's a medicine cat and they're more likely to get caught together. :D**

**lavi0123 - thank you for telling me too! : )**

**Guest - 1) yep 2)of course! :/**

**Kidzilla20 - yep :D**

**Storm of Darkness - 1)Thank you for your great care for my story 2)Thanks! 3) Don't worry, I will(I'm sort of into this story myself!) :D**

**Medicine cats have battle training to defend themselves from rogues, don't they? :/ And I **_**know **_**that they can catch their prey; I mean Leafpool did back when she was Cinderpelt's apprentice..**

**Squirrelflight is expecting kits, so you can make up name(I have two names[my brother gave me the names: Mistykit and Stonekit to honor Mistystar and Stonefur] you can make up their warrior names though)**

**Oh, and I need rogues, so create-a-cat please?**

**Story.. Spottedpaw's POV( Again, thanks Song of the Felines and lavi0123)**

Spottedpaw struggled underneath a massive black-and-orange tomcat. His amber eyes glared down maliciously at her, eyes like balls of fire in the semi-darkness, for clouds had covered the moon. "I'm going to kill you," he taunted. "And then I'll use your pelt to line my nest!"

Spottedpaw trembled with fear. _I can't win,_ she thought, _I am going to die._ As the thought ripped through her mind, she was flashed back to her training a moon ago.

"_I can't!" Spottedpaw wailed in despair, as her blind mentor pinned her down in the battle-training hollow for what seemed like the millionth time that day. Healing and hunting she could do, but she was useless at fighting._

"_You have to try," hissed Jayfeather as he held her down._

_Lionblaze's apprentice, Amberpaw, watched curiously from about a fox-tail-length away, as Jayfeather muttered something about how in StarClan's name he was supposed to train his apprentice if she never listened to anything he said to her. Lionblaze walked over to his brother and whispered something in his ear. Jayfeather rolled his eyes and turned back to Spottedpaw._

"_Sometimes, you may feel that you aren't good enough, or there isn't any hope, but you must always, ALWAYS, try. If you fail, try again, and try harder. If it seems that your opponent is too strong, you must see what he or she doesn't want you to see," Jayfeather meowed. "A powerful cat is often slow, a fast and nimble cat is often easily crushed. You must see your strengths and weaknesses, but that is only half the battle. The other half is to see your opponent's strengths and weaknesses. Never underestimate your opponent, but never overestimate him. Likewise, never overestimate yourself, but your fatal mistake might be underestimating your strengths. Now, think, Spottedpaw, you're smart. What are your strengths, and what are my weaknesses?" _

_Spottedpaw focused and hooked -_

-her paws onto his neck, digging her claws into his back, and using her front paws to claw his face. The tomcat yowled in pain and dislodged her from himself before fleeing from the island.

_Thank you Jayfeather, _she whispered._ You are the best mentor a medicine cat apprentice could ask for._

Slowly, the rogues fled from the island as they were quickly outnumbered.

"Spottedpaw," a hoarse voice called. Spottedpaw turned around, and was shocked to see the young warrior Blossomstripe lying in the grass, with uncountable scratches on her body, some small, others deep.

"_Blossomstripe!" _She hurried toward her friend. Confusion was racing through her mind. Blossomstripe wasn't supposed to be here! She was supposed to be in the camp, letting her wounds heal! _She must have come with the ThunderClan cats!_ Numbly, she raced towards her injured friend and pressed her nose into her fur.

"Spottedpaw," her friend whispered. "Tell Sandpaw and Dustpaw. Tell my parents I love them.." She trailed off.

"It's my fault!" Spottedpaw wailed. "If I had done what I was supposed to, you wouldn't be dying!" Blossomstripe rolled her eyes.

"No, Spottedpaw. I made my own choice to come," she whispered. "I wanted to defend my Clan." Her voice was scarcely audible now. "And I did. I'm going to join StarClan now." She let out a sigh. "Tell my littermates and my parents I love them. Good-bye, Spottedpaw."

"Spottedpaw pressed her paws against the biggest wound, but the spasms were getting weaker now. "Jayfeather!"

Suddenly a dark tabby bowled into her side, the last of the rogues, and Spottedpaw smelled the scent of rotting crowfood in his mouth. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Leave her alone, Spottedpaw," he hissed. He pushed his teeth into her neck, when out of nowhere, Tigerheart smashed into his brother, and his paws battered hard against Raggedtail's tough, ragged pelt.

While Tigerheart battled his brother, Spottedpaw ran back to Blossomstripe to check on her. Her friend nuzzled her cheek for the last time, and joined their starry ancestors.

"NO!" Spottedpaw screamed. "Blossomstripe!"

Raggedtail wriggled from his brother's claws, bleeding heavily, Hissing, he knocked Tigerheart to the ground and raked his claws across his cheek, spraying blood everywhere, and fled across the tree-bridge.

**Narrator's POV:**

"From ThunderClan, we have lost Blossomstripe, and she will be missed among the Clans," Bramblestar meowed, his head slightly bowed in grief.

"RiverClan has lost a noble warrior in Petalfur," Mistystar meowed, her voice slightly hollow. Dovewing lowered her head sadly**(she made friends with her, remember?)**.

"ShadowClan lost one of its queens: Kinkfur." Blackstar's mew had traces of anger and grief in it.

"WindClan lost its deputy, Ashfoot." Onestar bowed his head in grief. Then he lifted it again. "I say these words before the body of Ashfoot, so that her spirit may hear and approve my choice: Breezepelt will be the new deputy of WindClan."

Mews of surprise echoed around the clearing; Onestar had not seemed to trust Breezepelt after the Great Battle, but it seemed his opinion had changed. Breezepelt lifted his chin; he seemed eager to prove himself now that he was trusted again.

Nightcloud purred loudly for her son, although Crowfeather was silent for a moment; Nightcloud snarled in his ear before he took up the call.

**Sorry Ashfoot fans. I needed an idea, and that was the only way I could find one. Breezepelt is one of my favorite characters, that's why I made him deputy. If you disagree, you may post it, but please do not be rude. **

**Sounds like Crowfeather, doesn't it? **

**We'll see how fast I can update!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey guys! I'm back! Like I said, I've been pretty bored lately, and when I'm bored, I type away :P**

**Um.. short.. but I have no excuse(it's early, that's probably why)**

**Reviews****:**

**Moonblaze - wow thanks! The Darkest of Hearts is a really good story, actually, I've added it to my following and favorites list(I didn't know if Blossombird was still writing, but I like the story/plot.**

**Guest - I guess I didn't really think of Petalkit visiting from StarClan.. Hmm. The next chapter, I guess(I'm not promising anything yet)?**

**Moonblaze - good idea, I'll think about that.. :D**

**Can you suggest some names for the rogues? It will be highly appreciated. Thank you!**

**Logicaly Illogical - I know you didn't review on here yet, but could you do it? I like the critism; I mean, part of me hates it, but the other part of me knows it will make me a better writer! : ) Thanks**

**Okay, here you go…**

**Maplepaw's POV(in the camp):**

Maplepaw rested her nose on Blossomstripe's pelt. Above them, the stars twinkled, welcoming the dead warriors to their ranks. Beside her, Spottedpaw was burying her nose into Blossomstripe's fur. Maplepaw knew Spottedpaw had been much closer to Blossomstripe she had been. Maplepaw could not imagine what her sister was going through now.

Sandpaw's eyes were closed tight, as if she couldn't believe her sister was dead and Dustpaw was staring at Blossomstripe as if he couldn't understand how she could have entered the battle.

Maplepaw looked up at the stars; they seemed to be taunting her. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. _StarClan, why..?_

Cinderkit padded into the clearing. "Why is Blossomstripe asleep?" she mewed.

Maplepaw leaped to her paws and confronted the kit. "She's not asleep! She's _dead_, understand?" she hissed. "She's not waking up. _Ever!_"

The dark gray kit nodded, her eyes wide with fear, and scuttled into the nursery.

Maplepaw felt a prickle of guilt. _She's just a kit. She didn't mean any harm._

**Spottedpaw's POV:**

"Spottedpaw!" Jayfeather called. "The battle at the Gathering weakened our supplies, and I want to go collect some more before leaf-bare sets in."

Wearily she stumbled to her paws. Her thoughts tumbled in her head painfully. _Oh, Blosssomstripe, why did you have to come to the battle…_ She raced over to Jayfeather, who was already padding through the thorn barrier. He sniffed as she reached him.

"Took you long enough," Jayfeather puffed. Spottedpaw ducked her head in embarrassment.

"I'm here now, what do you want? " she mewed. He flicked his ears irritably.

"I want to collect the last of the herbs we have still growing before leaf-bare is what," he snapped. "You know that." He suddenly pricked his ears. "Who's there? Dovewing?" Jayfeather let out an irritable sigh. "I told you, we're perfectly safe. Raggedtail wouldn't dare attack a medicine cat. StarClan forbids it."

Dovewing narrowed her blue eyes. "But Raggedtail does not obey the rules of StarClan any more. He attacked us at the Gathering. Killed a few warriors. And you still think he will obey the word of StarClan?" Dovewing sniffed. "Come on, Jayfeather. You know very well he wouldn't." She rolled her eyes. "I'm just worried about my kit. Silverpaw was attacked by Raggedtail. How do you know he won't attack Spottedpaw?" Jayfeather let out a harassed sigh.

"Spottedpaw's not a kit anymore. She doesn't need you to watch her every heartbeat of the day." Jayfeather turned to go. "Come on, Spottedpaw."

Dovewing blocked his path angrily. "Stop making excuses, Jayfeather," she spat. "It's my duty as a mother to take care of my kit. She's not yours." Her eyes clouded with pain. "I couldn't bear it if any of them died."

"I'll be back before midnight, Dovewing. No, _listen_," he added as Dovewing opened her jaws for a sharp retort. "If we're not back by then, you can send a patrol to come and get us." Spottedpaw looked at her mother and saw that Jayfeather's words had seemed to get to her.

"Okay." She looked at Spottedpaw. "Come back, Spottedpaw," she whispered. "Please."

…... …

Spottedpaw and Jayfeather reached the RiverClan border quickly. Spottedpaw quickly began to nip off the marigold.

A hiss sounded from the shadows. Spottedpaw jumped, then forced herself to relax. It couldn't be the rogues. They had left because they had been outnumbered.

"Spottedpaw." At first she looked at Jayfeather, expecting it to be him, but his ears were pricked and alert, jaws parted to scent the air.

"Don't move," the voice went on. "I'll kill you in my own time, but I'll enjoy your fear first. Jayfeather flattened his ears.

"Leave her alone, Raggedtail. She has nothing to do with your anger."

A menacing growl sounded from the shadows. "Oh, but she does. If I kill her, Dovewing will know the pain I felt."

"So, you're willing to kill the kit you once thought as your own?" Jayfeather responded, but his neck fur was beginning to bristle uncomfortably.

"She's not my kit," snarled Raggedtail from the shadows.

"She's your kin, though. You're her uncle, Raggedtail! Is that the kind of uncle she wants? Do you think that?" Jayfeather meowed.

Raggedtail pounced at him, hissing in rage. Spottedpaw let out a cry of alarm. "Jayfeather!" Raggedtail turned on her.

"Spottedpaw. I knocked Jayfeather out." The dark tabby cat showed his teeth. "Which means I get to finish you off all by myself."

His unsheathed claws dug into her neck, as he pinned her down. "I joined ThunderClan for your mother," he growled, tightening his grip as she tried to wriggle free. "She didn't care. Oh no, she loved Tigerheart much more, even though I gave up everything for her. When she had you and your littermates, I thought you were _my _kits. I thought you were mine. I thought she loved _me!_" he hissed, shaking her violently, still having his claws dig into her neck. Spottedpaw tried to wriggle free, but he pulled her back. "OH no! You must listen to the whole story! I was so happy. But then, before my brother ever told me- my _brother_ -Dovewing told me that you weren't my kits. That's how I became how I am! All I ever tried to do was love, and she threw that away." His massive paws trembled. "Do you understand now?" he snarled. Spottedpaw looked into his eyes, and was shocked by the anger and hatred she saw there. "That's why you have to die. And your littermates." He thrust her to the ground and prepared herself for the killing blow. Spottedpaw tried to summon the last drop of energy into her body, to do what Jayfeather had taught her, but her paws were slow, and she finally gave up. Prepared herself to meet StarClan.

A shape shot from the rushes, and with a flash of joy, Spottedpaw realized it was Flamepaw.

"Flamepaw!" she called. Raggedtail's amber eyes blazed with fury. "Fox-dung!" he spat. Flamepaw smashed into his side, making him crash headfirst into the reeds. "Keep away from them!"

Raggedtail's amber eyes glared furiously into Spottedpaw's; he wriggled free of Flamepaw's grip and fled into the darkness. "This isn't over," he snarled before he disappeared from view.

"Thanks!" Spottedpaw rubbed her muzzle against his. Flamepaw looked behind her and then looked back at her, though not meeting her gaze.

"I have to go. If one of your patrols catches me, I'm crowfood and you know it." Flamepaw looked at his paws. "Meet me here tomorrow, after the moonhigh patrol."

"Okay." Spottedpaw felt confused, but she nodded. "Bye." Flamepaw dashed off ,back the way he had come.

"Jayfeather!" She nudged her mentor after picking up the scattered herbs. "Wake up!" She looked back in the direction of camp, and was half-relieved, half-annoyed when she saw a patrol hurrying toward them.

"What-" He rubbed his eyes with his paws and scrambled to his paws. "Where did Raggedtail go?"

"He was driven off by a RiverClan cat," Spottedpaw meowed. _I hope he doesn't find out that I've been meeting Flamepaw._

"Really?" Jayfeather murmured as the patrol reached them. Cinderheart, Lionblaze, Amberpaw, and Sandpaw.

_Has Cinderheart been training Sandpaw since Silverpaw was injured? _Spottedpaw wondered, feeling a pang of sympathy for Silverpaw. She might never become a warrior now that Cinderheart was training Sandpaw.

….. …. ….. . ….

**Silverpaw's POV:**

Silverpaw sighed as Spottedpaw, Jayfeather, Cinderheart, Lionblaze, Amberpaw, and Sandpaw entered camp. Sandpaw and Dustpaw were ready to become warriors, as were Dewpaw, Snowpaw, and Amberpaw. _I'll never become a warrior, just because I can't see. _Silverpaw tripped over her front paws as she ran out of the den. Spottedpaw padded over to her, as Bramblestar's voice echoed around the clearing.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting!"

Squirrelflight, her belly round with kits, hurried over to stand beside her mate.

"Five apprentices completed their warrior assessments yesterday, and I think that it is time that they became warriors. Sandpaw, Dustpaw, Amberpaw, Dewpaw, and Snowpaw, come forward." The five cats bounded over to the Highledge.

"Sandpaw, Dustpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Sandpaw mewed.

"I do!" Dustpaw's eager mew drowned out his sister's reply.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names: Dustpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Duststorm. StarClan honors your courage and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Sandpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Sandfur. StarClan honors your courage and initiative, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Leaping down, he rested his muzzle on both of the new warriors' heads, and they licked his shoulder in return.

"Duststorm! Sandfur! Duststorm! Sandfur!"

"Amberpaw, Dewpaw, and Snowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, do protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Bramblestar meowed. Amberpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Amberlight. StarClan honors

"I do!" The three apprentices spoke at the same time.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior your courage and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan. Dewpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dewfrost. StarClan honors your kindness and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Bramblestar rested his muzzle on the two littermates' heads, and they licked his shoulder in return "Snowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Snowfrost. StarClan honors your kindness and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." He rested his muzzle on the white she-cat's head, and she licked his shoulder in return.

"Amberlight! Dewfrost! Snowfrost!"

"Remember, you have to stay silent until dawn," mewed Lionblaze. "But nothing says you can't help each other. If one of you looks sleepy, the other can prod him or her awake."

"Off you go then," Berrynose meowed.

The five cats nodded and padded towards the thorn barrier. Silverpaw pricked her ears. Spottedpaw had left her side to sit vigil for Blossomstripe.

**Maplepaw's POV:**

Maplepaw stiffly rose to her paws. It was almost time for Blossomstripe's burial. Spottedpaw had come to sit vigil for her lost friend. From the Highledge, Bramblestar had just finished making Amberlight, Dewfrost, Snowfrost, Duststorm, and Sandfur warriors.

A screech sounded from the barrier; the smell of blood filled Maplepaw's nostrils and she raced for the barrier.

"What happened?" she gasped. Dovewing was limping slightly, and Bumblestripe and Tigerheart were dragging Sandstorm through the dust. Maplepaw turned to get Jayfeather.

"She's dead, Maplepaw. We were attacked in the shadows, by the RiverClan border." Bumblestripe's voice was thick with pain. "Raggedtail pinned her down and said that would happen to the rest of us, one by one. He had his rogues surrounding him so that we couldn't reach her in time, and killed her." Featherpaw and Stormpaw raced over.

"Is she dead?" Featherpaw whispered. Stormpaw's eyes were wide with horror at the sight of her fallen Clan mate.

"Yes, she's dead," Tigerheart responded quietly. "Raggedtail killed her. She hunts with StarClan now."

Maplepaw stared at Sandstorm. The ginger she-cat was cold to the touch, and Maplepaw's spine tingled with horror at the wounds she had been given.

"She was tortured." Maplepaw turned to see Spottedpaw.

"He meant for her to suffer," Spottedpaw mewed quietly. "He wanted her to die painfully."

Although her littermate did not speak the words, Maplepaw knew the thought that was racing through her mind: _How can I be related to this evil cat?_

"She's not in pain now," murmured Dovewing, her eyes clouding with pain. "She's with Firestar in StarClan now."

As Maplepaw stared at Sandstorm's dead body, a feeling of foreboding gripped her, and she felt that this was not the last death that would fall upon the ThunderClan cats.

**Am I scaring you guys yet? Mwahahahaha!(evil laugh fail)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hey, I'm back! **

**My 9 year old brother told me not to eat a pepper because it was too hot(one of those orange tiny ones) so I ate the whole thing in two bites. Man was I ever in agony! I couldn't even get the heat out by drinking milk, which made it worse.**

**Oh my. I was checking the reviews when I figured out I had 100 reviews or something like that. I really and honestly thought you guys were only giving me like 3 reviews per chapter or something, which makes like 81.6%(too lazy to check what I wrote down) correct when it was like 100. Thank you!**

**The create-a-cat for the rogues is still on, so you can continue to create-a-cat until Ch.25.**

**Reviews****:**

**FoxXxOfTheNight: thanks for the rogue. She sounds nice. : )**

**Ki05596- Thanks. That's why Flamepaw and Spottedpaw are about to get caught soon(not in this chapter. Jayfeather and Spottedpaw didn't trespass last chapter, Flamepaw did, but Spottedpaw did the times she's met Flamepaw.  
**

**Kidzilla20: No seriously :D. Well, there is still a way( "Cats of StarClan, you know every cat by name. I therefore ask you to take away the name of the cat who stands before you, for her name no longer stands for what she/he is."..) Of course, it's up to you since you're the one who suggested it. : )**

**Guest: 1)Don't worry, I'm lazy logging in too. Probably even more so. 2)thanks for the rogues. (Melody, Jade, and Autumn). (if someone suggests a tomcat it doesn't really matter though.) **

**Here is the rogue so you guys know the rogue FoxXxOfTheNight submitted:**

**Name: Ariona  
Gender: She-Cat  
Rank: Lower rouge  
Color: Gray with white-and-black splotches  
Eyes: Sharp Yellow  
Personality: Kind, she hates being with the rouges. [She doesn't have a choice though.]**

**Again, the create-a-cat(even if you've already submitted a cat) doesn't go out until Ch.25(which is when this story is over. However, I'm making a sequel to this story, about SkyClan's return.**

**Spottedpaw's POV:**

Spottedpaw woke up with her nose in Sandstorm's fur. She scrambled to her paws. _I couldn't stay awake even for you, _she thought despairingly. Maplepaw beside her stumbled to her paws, her amber eyes bleary with sleep. Spottedpaw padded sleepily towards Jayfeather's den, and was surprised to see Bramblestar pacing the den.

"What's he in here for?" she asked curiously. Jayfeather didn't look up from mixing herbs.

"Bramblestar wants to go to the Moonpool to speak with StarClan," Jayfeather responded. "He wants to see if they'll tell him what to do about Raggedtail, but I don't see why."

Bramblestar flicked his tail and rose to his paws. "I have to, for the sake of the Clan," he insisted.

Spottedpaw nodded, confused. If StarClan wanted to give them a sign to stop Raggedtail they would have done it already.

Wouldn't they?

Stormpaw padded into the den, followed by Featherpaw, Nettlepaw, Ravenpaw, and Maplepaw. Silverpaw rose to her paws, sniffed the air, and relaxed. Spottedpaw felt a lump in her throat as she stared at her blind sister.

"Are you okay?" she asked cautiously.

"I'm fine," Silverpaw muttered. "I wish Bramblestar would stop fretting about Raggedtail and actually _do _something to stop him." Spottedpaw twitched her ears uncertainly.

"Bramblestar's trying to do what's best for the Clan," she replied. "Wouldn't you?"

"I would if I could, but I'm so useless Cinderheart hardly spends _any_ time with me," Silverpaw meowed. "I might as well become an elder! No one wants to have anything to do with me!" Her paws worked up in the moss in front of her.

"That's not true!"

Shocked, Spottedpaw turned to see Dovewing.

"You can still be use to the Clan." her mother hissed. "Jayfeather can train you and take care of-"

"Great StarClan!" Jayfeather muttered. "I have one apprentice already, I don't need another!"

"See?" Silverpaw muttered. "I told you. Leave it. I understand that I have to become an elder due to my failing sight."

"Jayfeather!" Bramblestar meowed. The blind gray tabby turned back to mixing herbs. "I want to leave before the moonhigh patrol returns. I have to make Ivypool's kits apprentices too." The ThunderClan leader let out a sigh. "If only I had never exiled Raggedtail from ThunderClan," he murmured, half to himself. "I should have kept him where he wouldn't become so powerful like this."

Spottedpaw padded back from the cleft in the back of the den. "Which one is chamomile?" she whispered to Jayfeather.

"You must know that already!" Jayfeather hissed.

"I thought I knew, and then I wasn't sure. I thought I'd go back and check," Spottedpaw mumbled, embarrassed. Maplepaw pricked her ears.

"Chamomile's not a traveling herb," she observed aloud.

Jayfeather narrowed his eyes. "Bramblestar needs it to help him calm down," he growled. "Sandstorm's death disturbed him. I think it's Raggedtail but just to be sure, I'm using it to calm him down." He whipped around and glared at Spottedpaw. "I was hoping to add it to the herbs without letting the whole Clan know!" he complained, and pushed a leaf towards Spottedpaw. "That's chamomile."

Spottedpaw nodded meekly. "I know what it looks like now," she meowed.

…... …...

Jayfeather padded beside Spottedpaw as they followed Bramblestar in the direction of the Moonpool. Spottedpaw hurried ahead. They were almost at the Moonpool now. Jayfeather raced up to her, bristling with annoyance. "Couldn't you wait up?" he complained.

Spottedpaw sniffed the air. There was another scent too. A familiar one. She racked her brain, but it didn't enter her mind until Jayfeather called out a greeting.

"Littlecloud! Sorrelpaw!"

_ShadowClan! _Spottedpaw realized. The apprentice medicine cat, a thick-furred gray she-cat, hurried across the short stretch of grass towards them.

"Why's your leader coming?" Sorrelpaw asked.

"He says he's come to speak with StarClan," Jayfeather replied. Littlecloud nodded. "Blackstar's forbidden apprentices to come out of camp without at least two warriors. Kits aren't allowed to go anywhere near the exit of camp." He frowned. "Do you know who's leading the rogues?" he asked.

Jayfeather nodded. "Once a warrior of ShadowClan , next ThunderClan, and now, an insult to the warrior code: Raggedtail, a rogue.." Sorrelpaw kneaded her paws in the ground.

"Are we going or not?" she complained, striking a memory in Spottedpaw's mind of a much older dark gray she-cat with wide amber eyes .

_Yellowfang! The cat who visited me in my dream!_ Spottedpaw flicked her tail playfully at the ShadowClan apprentice. "If you're in such a hurry, let's go," she meowed. Littlecloud purred in amusement as she bounded ahead.

"Wait for me, I'm not a young cat anymore!" he called. Jayfeather tried to look annoyed, but his look gave way into a purr of amusement.

….. ….. … ….

The five cats arrived at the Moonpool quickly. Bramblestar was already lapping at the water and falling into a slumber.

"Sorrelpaw, keep watch," Littlecloud yawned as he dozed off. Spottedpaw went next, leaving Jayfeather and Sorrelpaw alone to keep watch for any rogues that might attack.

Spottedpaw opened her eyes in a clearing. It was lit, but the light did not come from the stars or moon; in fact, when she looked up, the sky was pitch-black, and with a sickening jolt she realized the light came from the slimy gray trees. Spottedpaw flinched at the painful screech of a cat. The sounds all around her were.. were cats fighting.

_But how do I get out?_ she wondered. Sniffing, she only smelled the stench of death and decay. She peeked out from behind the trees and took a sickened step back. There were two cats fighting, but the moves were too blood-thirsty, and Spottedpaw had to hold back the bile that rose in her throat. She took a few steps nearer, but she froze when she tripped over a dead twig, letting out a loud crack. One of the cats clawed his attacker across the nose and sidestepped her, eyes wide at the sound.

"Did you hear that?" he meowed. The dark tabby cat shrugged.

"I didn't hear anything," she meowed. "Except that stick cracking. Something must have fallen on it."

"Mouse-brain!" hissed the tomcat. "Things don't _just fall_ unless something provokes them." Spottedpaw froze.

"It must be a cat, Ivypaw," he decided.

_He's going to find me!_ She crouched behind the tree-root, not moving a whisker as the tomcat stalked towards her. The she-cat followed him, her ice-blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully as her claws flexed in and out. Spottedpaw watched as they scanned the ground. The two cats finally left and the she-cat raked her unusually long claws across his face.

"I told you there was nothing!" Ivypaw hissed at him. Spottedpaw breathed a sigh of relief as the two cats began to walk back. The she-cat stiffened. "Wait here," she ordered her companion and raced back to the roots where Spottedpaw was hiding. She held her breath as the dark tabby she-cat sniffed at the tree-roots.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Spottedpaw crouched beneath the roots. "I knew he was right!" she hissed. "There _is _a cat here." Spottedpaw held her breath as Ivypaw drew closer.

"You are intruding!" she snarled.

**Computer's going of, just here's a quick info, Ivypaw is Tawnypelt's kit and she's being trained in the Dark Forest. Raggedtail's her trainer( he can dream his way there) and so she might leave ShadowClan, she might not.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey, I'm back! **

**That's one good thing about home school, you have your mom/ dad teach you instead of some crazy old teacher.**

**Reviews****:**

**Song of The Felines: Yep**

**littleflower54276408: No, they don't! Also, it's mostly Raggedtail bringing them together again and thanks for the suggestion of THE END.. On chapter 25 bof course and then there's a sequel. XD**

**lavi0123: sure.. well, we took care of that… :D**

**Sandstorm74: sure! And thanks for the cat! **

**Guest: yeah, well, you did say that Ivypaw always jumps in whiskers first without thinking O_O *evil grin***

**Flamefur: yeah sure**

**And.. Here are the cats you guys submitted:**

**1.(from Song of The Felines)Name: Salainen (Finnish for Secret)  
Gender: Female  
Rank: High Rank , Raggedtail's mate  
Color: gorgeous slender medium hair pure snow-white she-cat; silky and sleek fur; long-legged; silky and plumy tail  
Eye Color: one sparkling light frosty crystal amber eye and one sparkling dark smoky hazel brown eye  
Personality: cunning, lethal, rebellious and fierce**

**2. (from lavi0123)Name: Silver  
Gender: She-Cat  
Rank: Middle Rank  
Color: Silver she-cat with bright-green eyes  
Eyes: Bright-green  
Personality: She is sweet and kind, and hates the rouges with all her heart, but she hides that. She was forced to be Raggedtail's mate before she became the rogues' medicine cat, so she cannot leave or show distaste to being with the rouges. :D**

**3. (from Sandstorm74) Name: Night**

**Color: black tom with barely visible white stripes**

**Rank: Raggedtail's "deputy" (second in command)**

**Eye Color: Amber eyes**

**I think that's all for now…**

**Spottedpaw's POV:**

Spottedpaw flattened her ears, her heart pounding with fear. Ivypaw was glaring down at her, her blue eyes blazing with anger.

"Well?" she hissed. Spottedpaw tried to back away, but the she-cat quickly cut off her path and Spottedpaw was forced to get back down again.

"I just ended up here, that's all!" she blurted out. Her heart pounded again as the she-cat's claws just barely missed her ear. _I need to get out of here!_

Ivypaw snorted. "You got here somehow. Some cat must have let you, although it wasn't me." Spottedpaw tensed. How dare Ivypaw suggest she was lying? Wasn't she a Clan cat, or had she joined Raggedtail's rogues since Spottedpaw had seen her at the last Gathering?

Ivypaw's claws dug into the rotting wood. "Are you going to open up?" she growled. Spottedpaw nervously backed off, paws twitching at every paw-step. Spottedpaw closed her eyes. She would never give any of her Clan's secrets to a cat who trained with Raggedtail. Suddenly claws raked her cheek and her eyes flew open to see Ivypaw glaring down at her.

"Are you going to open up, or do I have to make you?" she snarled. Spottedpaw flinched at her aggression.

"No," she mewed at last. Ivypaw's eyes stretched wide open with shock, then she took a menacing step forward, hissing, "You _have _to tell me. I train here for a reason."

Spottedpaw swallowed. What was she supposed to do? She could tell the cat anything, but if she did, it would lead to what was happening in her Clan, and Ivypaw would be sure to tell Raggedtail everything she heard. "No I don't," she replied quietly. "You wouldn't tell me what was happening in ShadowClan if I asked."

"Oh, that's how it works, does it?" Ivypaw hissed, hitting her paws hard against Spottedpaw's spine. "If that's right, why don't we have a little fight? Just you and me?" she challenged.

Spottedpaw gulped. There was no way out of here without a fight, and if she made anymore fuss, Ivypaw could call for Raggedtail - wasn't that the cat she had been training with? His scent was familiar. "Okay," she mewed, swallowing back her fear.

There was no time to prepare herself. Ivypaw flung herself at Spottedpaw, claws outstretched, ready to rip her fur out. Spottedpaw realized that if she was going to get out alive, she would have to rely on her speed. Ducking, she raked her paws across Ivypaw's spine. But Ivypaw was ready. She flipped onto her back and flung Spottedpaw off onto her side. As she lay, winded in the slimy grass, Ivypaw started for the second blow.

"Had enough?" she gloated. Spottedpaw flinched at the sarcasm in her tone. "Or do you want more?"

_I can't! _Panic clawed her stomach. If she let Ivypaw know she was done, the ShadowClan cat would make her tell everything. Ivypaw slammed her into the grass, hard. Spottedpaw flashed out a paw to distract her, and tried to get away, but Ivypaw didn't even look away for a heartbeat and began clawing tufts of fur. Just as Spottedpaw was about to give up, she smelled a familiar scent.

"Yellowfang?" The dark gray she-cat padded towards her from the shadows.

"Spottedpaw," she meowed.

The dark brown tabby she-cat's eyes stretched wide with alarm. Spottedpaw shot from underneath her, knocking her off her paws in her panic and struggle to get free. Yellowfang padded slowly towards, her, but Spottedpaw could feel irritation in every breath she took.

"Yellowfang?" Ivypaw sputtered. " What are you doing here?"

The dark gray she-cat didn't blink. "Taking Spottedpaw back to where she belongs."

Ivypaw looked sulky. "But I had to bring her-"

Yellowfang sniffed. "Nowhere good, I can tell. Why are you here, Ivypaw? Doesn't your Clan need you?" Ivypaw bristled.

"I'm training," she meowed. "To be the best warrior in the four Clans. Raggedtail told me."

Yellowfang let out a snort of disgust. "That one doesn't keep his promises very well. Isn't that why your Clan wants him dead? Come on, Spottedpaw," she went on. "This cat has been fooled too deeply. She should have listened to her instincts the first time."

**Dovewing's POV:**

Dovewing and Tigerheart sat side-by-side, waiting for any sound of prey.

"There's no prey here," she complained. "We've been waiting here for a long time, since Jayfeather and Spottedpaw went to the Moonpool with Bramblestar." She was surprised to see Tigerheart not looking so annoyed- or irritated as she was. "What's so funny?"

"You," he replied. "You haven't even paused to sniff the air!"

Dovewing let out a yowl of surprise and pounced on him. He was right, but that didn't mean she had to let him get away with teasing her. She leaped on him with a playful hiss, and pummeled him with her back legs. He grunted in surprise and rolled over, surprising her. Dovewing jumped on to him, sprawling him in the mud and pinning him to the ground. Suddenly he stopped play-fighting and pushed her off, his amber eyes wide.

Dovewing wriggled her haunches, narrowing her blue eyes. Was he playing with her? She sniffed the air . Frog. She stifled a snort of disgust. Whatever her mate was hunting would feed the Clan, although whether they would eat it was another matter.

He pounced, landing on it clumsily and Dovewing realized she might have warned it of her approach.

"Caught it!" He nudged her appreciatively. "Want a bite? It's really good." Dovewing shook her head.

"No thanks. Let's go back to camp," she meowed. Not wanting to hurt his feelings she added, "See if one of our kits wants it. They won't care because it's new to them."

"Good idea." Tigerheart nodded and they padded back to the hollow.

… …... …

**Spottedpaw's POV:**

Spottedpaw woke to find cold air washing her muzzle at the Moonpool. The ShadowClan cats had already left, and Bramblestar and Jayfeather were already awake and padding away from the hollow. Spottedpaw hurried after them, worried. What had happened?

It wasn't until moonhigh that they returned.

**Tigerheart's POV:**

"Bramblestar!" panted Brightheart as her apprentice, Maplepaw hurried through the thorn tunnel, Featherpaw, Stormpaw, Blossomfall, and Bumblestripe rushed after them. Tigerheart caught a whiff of another cat's scent and recoiled with disgust. The cat was Raggedtail. His brother. They were kin. _Kin_. Tigerheart watched as his brother strutted into the camp, with his band of many, many rogues. He flicked his tail and leaned towards Dovewing to see her reaction at Raggedtail's bold walk-in. Her face was contorted with pure fury, and her lips were drawn back into a snarl.

The ThunderClan leader hurried out of his den, Squirrelflight hard at his paws. His eyes narrowed coldly as he spotted his nephew.

"Raggedtail."

"Bramblestar," the dark tabby meowed. Bramblestar's muscles were bunched and he looked ready to spring at his nephew. To Tigerheart's surprise, his brother flicked his tail at his uncle.

"I only came to ask for a few things," he began. Squirrelflight hissed at him, her teeth bared, but the former warrior ignored her.

"Dovewing, Tigerheart, and their kits. Bramblestar, I request you give me them to avoid further bloodshed." Raggedtail padded over to a white medium-furred she-cat with one amber eye and one hazel-brown eye and shared tongues briefly with her before padding over to a silver she-cat with green eyes.

Tigerheart realized that she looked like Silverpaw. Raggedtail tried to lick her cheek; her eyes narrowed in disgust but she allowed him to wash her before pulling away. She obviously didn't like the dark tabby any more than Tigerheart did.

"Well?" Raggedtail seemed very confident of his request. "What is your reply?"

Bramblestar glared at his nephew for a long moment. "No," he meowed at last. "These cats are ThunderClan. We will defend them like any other ThunderClan cat, and they will stay where they belong."

"I see your interests are of loyalty to your Clan, Bramblestar," Raggedtail meowed. "However, this is a very important question, and I suggest you give me them."

Bramblestar cleared his throat. "You're not a Clan leader, Raggedtail. _I _decide what battles I wish to fight, and for what reason. And it seems worth it, especially to rip out your throat." Raggedtail's eyes narrowed for a long moment.

"Bramblestar, I see you have your best interests at heart. Are you sure?" he asked. Beside Tigerheart, Dovewing let out a snort of contempt.

Bramblestar lashed his tail. "Of course I'm sure," he snarled. "But you, Raggedtail would say that. After all, have you ever kept to the warrior code? Name one time, and I will take back everything I said." Bramblestar's voice sharpened. "Get you and your rogues out of our territory, Raggedtail. Now."

The dark brown tabby showed his teeth as he jerked his muzzle from the medium-furred white she-cat who was his mate. "I warned you," he growled. "Don't tell me I didn't. When the battle comes, and all these cats die, it will all be your fault." He paused. "I give you two moons. After that, if you do not give me Dovewing, Tigerheart, and their kits, I will create a battle between us."

"Brightheart, get your patrol to escort Raggedtail and his rogues from the border," ordered Bramblestar. Disgust edged his mew. "Leave us in peace until your battle, Raggedtail."

Raggedtail narrowed his eyes coldly. "I told you what to do to avoid bloodshed," he growled. "And you refused. Don't blame me for the attacks-"

"Oh, I will," hissed Bramblestar. "It was your fault they started in the first place!"

Raggedtail whipped around and muttered something to a black tom with barely visible stripes and amber eyes. The tom nodded and called the other cats; a few heartbeats later the rogues had left.

"Squirrelflight, make sure the rogues have left the territory. I don't want any attacks until we have this battle. Get a patrol to come with you."

The dark ginger she-cat flicked her tail. "As you wish, Bramblestar."

The ThunderClan leader dipped his head. "Thank you, Brightheart. Squirrelflight, you lead the patrol."

Tigerheart watched as Brightheart and Squirrelflight gathered a patrol to go after the rogues to make sure they had left. Dovewing was bristling beside him.

"What?" He leaned towards her.

"I don't understand!" she spat. "Why didn't Bramblestar kill Raggedtail? He could have made it easier." Tigerheart pressed against her comfortingly.

"I'm sure he'll make sure Raggedtail's dealt with in the end."

But even as he spoke the words, he wished he could be more certain. _Why didn't Bramblestar kill Raggedtail? Why did he make us wait longer? And why didn't he get it over with instead of waiting two moons?_


	23. Chapter 23

**I know this is late, but it's long to make up for it.**

**Ok.. Squirrelflight has kits right now. Four of them: Mistykit, Stonekit(in honor of Mistystar and Stonefur),and you can name the other two and suggest Mistykit and Stonekit's warrior names, as well as for any of the remaining kits' names you may submit. The kits are about as old as Ivypool's kits, ready to become apprentices, so just give apprentice names for the other two kits.**

**You can submit cats till ch.25**

**Just a question, no offense to you all, but can you submit a few low-rank rogues? Thanks :D**

**Reviews****:**

**Ki05596: Thanks. I can't believe I forgot that! **

**littleflower54276408: 1)yeah I know, I actually got that from A Dangerous Path, you know when Tigerstar asked Bluestar for Bramblestar and Tawnypelt? 2) Spottedpaw woke up with real wounds. She was in the Dark Forest so of course she did : )**

**Leopardstorm88: 1) Thanks for the cat 2) same thing**

**The Song of the Felines: Thanks for the cats. **

**Leopardstorm88: Thanks for the cats (I'm really getting a lot of cats already *but of course I still need way more ***

**Hollystorm - Thanks**

**Okay.. ,now here are the cats you submitted:**

**1. ( 2 cats from Leopardstorm88): a)Name: Venom  
Rank: High rank; Raggedtail's son  
Color: Reddish-brown and a black tail  
Eye Color: Cold icy blue  
Personality: Cunning, vicious, fierce and bloodthirsty**

**b) Name: Flinch**

**Rank: Medium Rank**

**Color: Dark brown tom with a ripped tail(a sign of battles)**

**Eye color: Green eyes**

**2. ( cats from Song of The Felines): Name: Cloud  
Gender: She-Cat  
Rank: High Rank  
Color: lovely and delicate; medium-hair snow-white pelt; long-legged; silky and plumy tail; sleek and silky fur  
Eyes: light frosty crystal amber eyes  
Personality: fiesty and clever**

**Name: North**  
**Gender: She-Cat**  
**Rank: High Rank**  
**Color: beautiful and lithe; medium-hair pale golden with golden "blossoms" all over her pelt; long-legged; silky and plumy tail; sleek and silky fur**  
**Eyes: dark forest emerald green eyes**  
**Personality: cunning and rebellious**

**Name: Jackal**  
**Gender: She-Cat**  
**Rank: High Rank**  
**Color: gorgeous and slender; medium-hair dark black-brown pelt; long-legged; silky and plumy tail; sleek and silky fur**  
**Eye Color: dark smoky hazel-brown eyes**  
**Personality: independent and hot-headed**

**Name: Dragon**  
**Gender: She-Cat**  
**Rank: High Rank**  
**Color: stunning and slim; medium-hair pale golden with light reddish gold "petals" all over her pelt; long-legged; silky and plumy tail; sleek and silky fur**  
**Eye Color: dark hazel eyes**  
**Personality: fierce and aggressive**

**Name- Strike**  
**Gender: Tom**  
**Rank: High Rank**  
**Color: handsome, massive and muscular; smoky black-brown tom**  
**Eye Color: dark hazel eyes**  
**Personality- ruthless**

**_ Name: Wish  
Appearance: lovely dark chocolate brown tabby she-cat with a lighter cream underbelly and chest  
Rank: Middle  
Eye Color: light green eyes  
Personality: sweet**

**Name: Furze**  
**Appearance: longhair tortoiseshell she-cat**  
**Rank: Middle**  
**Eye Color: amber-green eyes**  
**Personality: tough**

**Name: Pine**  
**Appearance: orange tabby she-cat with a white chest and paws**  
**Rank: Middle**  
**Eye Color: bright amber-green eyes**  
**Personality: talkative**

**Name: Flight**  
**Appearance: pretty longhair dark chocolate brown she-cat**  
**Rank: Middle**  
**Eye Color: stunning dark emerald green eyes**  
**Personality: clever**

**Robin**  
**Appearance: mediumhair rich chocolate brown tortoiseshell tabby she-cat**  
**Rank: Middle**  
**Eye Color: pale amber eyes**  
**Personality: independent**

**Name: Juniper**  
**Appearance: calico she-cat**  
**Rank: Middle**  
**Eye Color: soft amber green eyes**  
**Personality: effervescent**

-  
**Name: Lichen  
Appearance: three-legged brown-and-gray tabby tom with white markings  
Rank: Middle  
Eye Color: muted amber-green eyes  
Personality: smart**

**Name: Russet**  
**Appearance: handsome cream pelted tom with russet tabby markings**  
**Rank: Middle**  
**Eye Color: dark green eyes**  
**Personality: hot-headed**

**Name: Kestrel**  
**Appearance: handsome orange tabby tom**  
**Rank: Middle**  
**Eye Color: warm amber-green eyes with pale green flecks**  
**Personality: strong-willed**

**They all hate being in Raggedtail's group.**  
**They also do not like Strike, Cloud, North, Jackal, and Dragon.**

**3. (8 cats from Leopardstorm88): Name: Dewdrop**

**Color: Pure white  
Rank: High rank; gave birth to all the other cats I submitted in this review  
Size: small  
Eyes: Beautiful green eyes  
Personality: nice to all rouges but is menacing when she sees a warrior cat. Is extremely loyal to Raggedtail and Night, her mate.  
Gender: Female**

**Name: Scourge (2)**  
**Color: Very dark brown**  
**Rank: high rank**  
**Size: very big; the only cats he isn't bigger than is Night and Raggedtail**  
**Personality: Like the other Scourge...**  
**Gender: Male**

**Name: Tiger**  
**Color: orange**  
**Rank: middle rank (was seen giving Clan cats prey if you can add this to your story)**  
**Size: Medium**  
**Personality: shows up mean and cunning, but soft in the inside**  
**Gender: Male**

**Name: Fox**  
**Color: Rusty orange**  
**Rank: high rank; has a bite like a fox, good for fighting AND hunting**  
**Size: Medium**  
**Personality: thinks like a fox(cunning; fierce [I added this part, hope you don't mind)**  
**Gender: female**

**Name: Blood**  
**Color: Reddish-Orange**  
**Rank: Low rank; tiny and has a soft heart... She wants to be like Silver**  
**Size: tiny**  
**Personality: soft heart**  
**Gender: female**

**Name: Seville  
Color: Brown  
Rank: High rank; used to be a kittypet and "transformed" into a rouge  
Size: Big  
Personality: Bold tom; wishes he could be "deputy" instead of Night  
Gender: Male**

**Name: Snowflake**  
**Color: White**  
**Rank: low rank**  
**Size: small**  
**Personality: shy she-cat**  
**Gender: female**

**Name: Cooler**  
**Color: Tan**  
**Rank: high rank**  
**Size: medium**  
**Personality: wants to be like Raggedtail when he grows up**  
**Gender: male**

**4 .(2 cats from Hollystorm) Name: Holly  
Rank: Low-rank  
Color: Black-and-white  
Eye Color: Ice-blue**

**Name: Jay**  
**Rank: Low-rank**  
**Color: black-and white striped  
Eye Color: Blue**

***phew* that was **_**A LOT **_**of cats. I'm lucky this word processor does copy-and-paste**

**Alright, here's the story you're all waiting for. The Song of The Felines asked me to do a bit of a chapter on Raggedtail's POV, so here:**

**Raggedtail's POV:**

Raggedtail stretched and lurched to his paws, clawing the ground as he did so. He shook his head and padded towards Silver.

"You could have just left for good," she snarled at him as he padded closer. "Then we wouldn't have to fight a battle at all!"

Raggedtail stiffened at her sharp tone. _If Dovewing had chosen me as her mate instead of Tigerheart, none of this would be happening!_ "Bramblestar chose to fight," he reminded her. "If he had given us the cats I wanted, we wouldn't have to."

_It wasn't Dovewing's fault,_ voice two whispered. _If you hadn't tried to kill her kit, she would have chosen you._

_No it's not! _voice one defended._ If Nettlepaw had died she wouldn't have found out! The plan failed, that's all! Nettlepaw was supposed to die!_

_Liar, _voice two growled.

Silver snorted, and padded across the ThunderClan cats' training hollow to her littermate, Blood. "He's such a mouse-brain," she murmured. "Not even his mate can make him feel sense." Raggedtail shot her a glare, but she ignored him and took a piece of fresh-kill from their makeshift pile.

A sudden yowling made him prick his ears in surprise. He looked across the clearing and saw Flinch and Scourge hitting Tiger hard over the head. He raced over to see what was going on. Ariona was trying to pull them apart, but they kept knocking her aside.

"What happened?" Raggedtail demanded. Flinch and Scourge quickly sheathed their claws. Tiger backed away, but Venom, Raggedtail's son, shoved him back.

"He was feeding a little tabby she-cat when we were out hunting!" protested Scourge, spitting. Raggedtail sighed; had Tiger really fed a ThunderClan cat? Hadn't he decided where his loyalties lay?

_Isn't that what you did? _voice two whispered._ Betrayed your Clans? Both of them?_

Tiger looked away. "So what if I did?" he mumbled. "I wasn't hurting anyone."

Raggedtail pushed his face near Tiger's muzzle until they were almost touching. "It's your job to hurt cats," he growled. "And if you can't do your job, I'll find someone who can. Understand?" Tiger bristled at him, but he nodded.

"Yes, Raggedtail," he muttered. Blood shot him a sympathetic look from across the hollow as he joined them.

Raggedtail jerked his head towards Seville. "Get the apprentices. I want you to supervise their training. The tom nodded; he looked across the clearing at Night, who was telling the rogues what to do for the day. Raggedtail thought he saw a look of annoyance flash across his face before he called Jay and Holly over. They bounded across the clearing and pounced on top of Venom, who snarled viciously and bit Jay and Holly before leaving the clearing.

"I'm leading an attack raid on ThunderClan's camp," meowed Raggedtail. "Any of you who don't have anything else to do come with me."

….. … ….

**He he.. Raggedtail is really stupid isn't he? I mean why would you lead a puny attack on a whole Clan? He is bent on revenge and it will probably be his downfall.. :P **

**Dovewing's POV:**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting," Bramblestar meowed. "Three kits in the Clan are ready to become apprentices. Hollykit, Cinderkit, and Ashkit, step forward."

"What!" Ivypool gasped. "Bramblestar, you can't do this! I've had no warning!" Bumblestripe dug his claws into the ground as Cinderkit, Hollykit, and Ashkit bounced over to Bramblestar.

"Cinderkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Cinderpaw. Duststorm, though you are young, you have known grief and loss, and I trust you to pass on all you know to this apprentice." Cinderpaw darted forward to touch noses with her new mentor.

"Ashkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Ashpaw. Dovewing, now that your kits are apprentices you are free to take on your first apprentice. You will be mentor to Ashpaw. Ivypool, this will be your first apprentice. Hollykit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name you will be known as Hollypaw."

"Cinderpaw! Ashpaw! Hollypaw!" The Clan called the new apprentices by their new names.

"Want to do some battle training?" Duststorm asked his new apprentice. Sandfur glanced across the clearing and then looked away.

Cinderpaw didn't pay much attention to her mentor. "Hey Ashpaw. I bet I can beat you," she mewed. Ashpaw snorted.

"Cinderpaw, shut up. I will beat you up so bad you will be crying," he mewed. Dovewing choked back a purr of amusement .

"Cinderpaw don't -" Duststorm started.

Cinderpaw jumped on Ashpaw and rolled him to the ground. Duststorm was starting to look embarrassed.

"Cinderpaw!" Ivypool scolded. "Duststorm's your mentor. And you're not a kit anymore!" Cinderpaw scuffled her paws in embarrassment.

"Sorry. Are you going to make me do the elders' ticks now?" she asked. Duststorm looked surprised.

"No, we have more important things to do," he responded. Sandfur bounded across the clearing to her brother.

"Like battle training," she meowed. "There's a couple of rogues whose leader announced war on us."

Ivypool nudged Hollypaw. "Come on. Let's go to the training hollow." Featherpaw and Stormpaw looked worried; then Stormpaw shook his head.

"That's not a good idea," he mewed. Ivypool stared at him in surprise.

"Why not?" she asked.

"The rogues camp there," Stormpaw meowed.

"What do you mean?" Ivypool meowed.

Stormpaw twitched his ears nervously as Bumblestripe and Blossomfall padded over to listen, and Featherpaw pressed closer to him.

"What I say," Stormpaw finally meowed. "They camp there."

"In the training hollow?!" Dovewing stared at her son. Ivypool was bristling, and her mate, Bumblestripe pressed his cheek against hers to calm her. Blossomfall bristled.

"What?! How dare they?" she meowed, her tail twitching furiously. Millie looked across the clearing, then padded into the medicine den.

_Gone to visit Briarlight,_ Dovewing guessed. _Wow, Millie really does think she's only got one kit now! _Ivypool lashed her tail.

"They first walk into our camp and demand a couple of cats and then into our territory like they own it all!" she spat.

Bumblestripe laid his tail on her shoulder. "It's not their fault," he meowed at last. "They follow Raggedtail's orders, as if he's a Clan leader. I saw one or two when we fought at the Gathering, and some defended apprentices and elders. Ivypool whipped around.

"I'm talking about those who _like _following his orders, Bumblestripe," she snapped. Bumblestripe looked at her.

"Are you okay?"

Ivypool closed her eyes tight, then opened them again. "Okay," she replied. "I'm fine."

Bumblestripe pressed his muzzle in her fur. "We can train our apprentices together if you want," he meowed.

"What-" She looked at him. "Where are we supposed to train them?" she challenged. "In the training hollow?" Bumblestripe looked down. "I guess we could do it here if Bramblestar said yes," he mumbled. Ivypool rubbed her head with his. "Why don't we-"

Hollypaw flicked her tail. "Are you going to stand and chat there all day?" she grumbled. Dovewing stifled a _mrrow _of amusement as Bumblestripe and Ivypool whipped around.

"Come on," she meowed. "We can check the ShadowClan border instead."

"All of us?" asked Cinderpaw.

"You have to ask Bramblestar," Dovewing replied. "I'm sure he'll-"

A yowling broke out at the thorn barrier and Dovewing snapped her head around.

"What-" she began. Snowfrost and Amberlight burst into camp, their fur bushed and their eyes wide. Lilystorm dashed toward the two bleeding warriors, but Blossomfall held her off.

"Alert the Clan! Jayfeather can take care of them," she hissed. Lilystorm nodded and fled toward the nursery, where Sorreltail was washing herself.

Sorreltail stared at her. "Lilystorm, what -"

"There's an attack!" Lilystorm yowled. Dovewing stared numbly at Snowfrost and Amberlight scrambled toward Jayfeather's den. Spottedpaw's eyes stretched wide with alarm as she saw the bleeding warriors.

"ThunderClan! Attack!" screeched Squirrelflight from the nursery. Dovewing unsheathed her claws. Her eyes narrowed in disgust as she watched Raggedtail's rogues run for the nursery and elders' den to attack kits and elders Sorreltail jumped to her paws and reared up to attack a tan tomcat who was snarling viciously and trying to get at the nursery. Another cat slunk behind her and tried to attack the elders' den. Whitewing, who was nearer to the entrance, flung herself at the tomcat, who disappeared wailing among his fellow rogues.

_We're losing,_ thought Dovewing. _There are too many of them!_

**Silverpaw's POV:**

"Silverpaw!" Jayfeather snapped. "Stay here. You can't fight!"

"I'm not going to," Silverpaw meowed. "I'm going to go get help."

"From where?" Jayfeather asked irritably.

"ShadowClan," replied Silverpaw. "They're closer to camp than WindClan."

"Okay, but take another cat with you." Jayfeather meowed. "An apprentice would be good."

"Okay." Silverpaw stepped out of the den, her whiskers twitching to detect any danger. "Cinderpaw, can you come with me?" she meowed. The gray she-cat hurried over to her.

"Where are we going?"

"ShadowClan," Silverpaw answered breathlessly. Cinderpaw flexed her paws. "Do you really think they'll help?"

"Of course! The Clans are at peace right now." Silverpaw's fur prickled with irritation. "Come on, or I'll go myself."

Cinderpaw flicked her tail in front t of Silverpaw's nose. "Follow me," she mewed. Silverpaw bristled with irritation. Cinderpaw didn't even know the way to ShadowClan's camp! She lashed her tail. "I'll lead. You don't even know the way to their camp. " Cinderpaw sighed.

"Fine." Cinderpaw nodded. "You lead." Then they left the camp.

**Spottedpaw's POV:**

Spottedpaw's fur prickled nervously as the yowls of fighting cats wafted around her.

"They'll tear us to pieces!" Nettlepaw's mew sounded close to her ear. Dovewing 's blue eyes were wide with misery.

"I should have sensed this!" she hissed. "Now it's too late!" Spottedpaw shook her head.

"No, because Raggedtail broke his promise to wait two moons," she protested. "It's not your fault."

_Silverpaw and Cinderpaw, get a move on!_ She scrambled over and helped Maplepaw to the medicine den. Dovewing hurled herself at a dark tabby tom.

"Raggedtail!" she snarled. "You broke your promise!" Raggedtail lashed out with his forepaws.

"So what?" he hissed. "The battle came anyway. It couldn't wait forever."

Spottedpaw's ears pricked with surprise. _It could if you'd let it,_ she thought._ I wish you had left our territory from the start,_ she thought sadly _Then none of this would be happening._

Bramblestar raced across the clearing, ears flat with anger. "You gave us two moons of peace!" he spat at Raggedtail.

Raggedtail lifted his chin. "I gave you two moons to _decide_," he hissed. "But you weren't deciding. You were training for the battle."

"Of course! I gave you my word that we would fight!" Bramblestar snapped.

"I will give you one moon," Raggedtail decided. "One moon, but no longer." A tiny orange she-cat gave a sigh of relief. Many other cats were glancing around in relief, except for a few tomcats and one long-furred white she-cat.

"Retreat!" Spottedpaw glanced at Raggedtail, expecting him to be the one who cried out, but it was a black tom with barely visible stripes and amber eyes.

"Night, what are you doing?" spat Raggedtail.

The black tom with barely visible stripes called Night whipped his head around. "I told you this attack was mouse-brained," he hissed.

"I want to Bramblestar now."

"While you talk, I will bring most of your cats home," Night meowed. "There will be no more fighting today."

"Take everyone but Salainen and Silver," Raggedtail meowed roughly.

"I will." Night raised his tail at the rogues. "We're going home!" he called. "There will be no more fighting today."

….. …. … …

**Dovewing's POV:**

Dovewing stood in the Bramblestar's den. Every hair on her pelt was prickling with fury as she stared at Raggedtail. Tigerheart rested his tail on her shoulder, but she could hardly concentrate. The tom that had caused her so much pain was in Bramblestar's den. She could kill him right now.

"Raggedtail." Bramblestar's voice was quiet. "I trusted you to keep your promise, but you broke it. Do you expect me to believe anything you say now?"

Raggedtail shook his head slowly. "No, I don't. We attacked to weaken you."

Bramblestar lashed his tail. "The battle was supposed to come in two moons, not a quarter moon after your request!" he snarled.

The silver tabby with Raggedtail shook her head . "Bramblestar, I see your point. We will keep our promise. In a voice so low that only Bramblestar, Tigerheart and Dovewing could hear him, she muttered, "For a couple mouse-tail lengths I'd kill him myself. He is worthy of nothing, not even to be a leader of ruthless rogues."

"What?" Raggedtail meowed. The silver tabby shook her head. "Nothing, Raggedtail. Just talking to myself."

"Raggedtail?" Bramblestar growled. "Do you agree?"

Raggedtail raised his massive head. "Very well, Bramblestar. I will wait a moon- but no longer."

Dovewing lifted her muzzle. The time until the battle had shortened, but she would finish Raggedtail when it came. _He's mine._

**Very long chapter. What did I say?**

**I wrote this at two in the morning, so it's not very good, but if you don't read it, nothing will make sense.**


	24. Chapter 24

**I know last chapter was late(school's been evil) so here's an early one**

** Kay here's the story you want(after I answer the reviews) **

**Let's say one moon has passed and the ThunderClan cats are waiting for the battle to come.**

**I have not planned this chapter. AT ALL. Which means the Clans could defeat the rogues or the whole Clan could die. Please excuse it, it's short O_O**

**well.. uh**

**Reviews****:**

**littleflower54276408: yeah seriously. And I've already targeted Raggedtail with some of the rogues he leads. :D**

**Ki05596: 1)Thanks 2) whee, my reviewers are suggesting loads of tortures for Raggedtail. He's obviously not that popular. Thank you! **

**The Song of The Felines: Thanks. I really like her character. **

**feathersky1357: Thank you!**

**froststar: 1) uh, no offense but Breezepelt didn't really die in the Great Battle; not from what I've heard. Actually I think Crowfeather chased him away or something like that. : ) 2) thank you for your support! **

**Jaycloud7: wow thanks!**

**1.(from The Song Of The Felines): Name: Broken  
Gender: Female  
Rank: Lowest Rank  
Color: unattractive black she-cat; fur that sticks out at all angled  
Eyes: stunning dark amber  
Personality: shy and withdrawn**

**Uh.. Maplepaw's POV**

Featherpaw ducked as Stormpaw tried to get her over the ear. Blossomfall gave a snort of amusement as he hit his head on the side of the den wall.

"We'll be dead by the time the battle ever starts," Silverpaw complained, wriggling free of Jayfeather's grip. Bramblestar had ordered the blind medicine cat to train her to fight off rogues in case they attacked the medicine den. Jayfeather sighed.

"Uh.. no, Silverpaw. You just haven't been battle-training in a long time, that's why your muscles are hurting." Lionblaze nodded.

"That's right. Once you start using them again you'll feel better than now." Silverpaw groaned and aimed a kick at Jayfeather. The gray tabby neatly side-stepped her and left her to stumble to her paws. Spottedpaw called to her across the clearing.

"I'll train with you," she offered. Jayfeather lashed his tail.

"They took up our training hollow. Now we have to fight in the apprentices' den. Great deal!" he meowed sarcastically.

"Stop complaining," Maplepaw teased him. Nettlepaw narrowed his eye and flung himself at her. Cinderpaw ducked as Spottedpaw rolled her over.

"Attack!" screeched Cloudtail from the entrance to camp. "ThunderClan! Enemies! Attack!"

Raggedtail lashed his tail. "Not yet-" he began. Cloudtail flung himself at the dark brown tabby, hissing with rage. Maplepaw remembered that his daughter Blossomstripe had died at the murderous dark tabby's claws.

Raggedtail flailed his hind legs, trying to throw him off, but Cloudtail was locked tight.

Salainen, Raggedtail's mate, knocked Cloudtail to the ground with a yowl. Tigerheart and Dovewing fought shoulder-to-shoulder. Maplepaw glanced around the hollow until she spotted Raggedtail.

_He's with us, in our den? How'd he get here that fast? _Maplepaw whipped around and jumped at him, colliding him with the wall. Spottedpaw helped Silverpaw out of the den, her eyes wide with shock. Nettlepaw's amber eyes narrowed with disgust as he padded up to the dark brown tabby. Maplepaw raked her claws across Raggedtail's face. The yowl he gave almost made her stop, but she kept it up. He deserved it! He had done it to Silverpaw. Nettlepaw yowled beside her, and she realized there were more rogues in the den. Featherpaw and Stormpaw battered at a gray-and-white tomcat.

Raggedtail stumbled to his paws, bleeding heavily as he limped to the edge of the clearing where the medicine cat- Silver - stood there with her supplies. Her eyes widened for a moment, and she seemed very reluctant to patch up the bleeding tabby tom. Suddenly a reddish brown tom with a black tail gripped her with his paws and began slashing viciously at her muzzle. She reacted quickly, slicking her fur, trying to fool him into thinking he was weaker than she really was. It worked; she instantly raked her claws across his nose and as he lay winded, she quickly fled from the den. An unattractive black she-cat with fur that stuck out at all angles jumped at a very dark brown tom who was attacking the nursery. The tomcat spat angrily at her.

"I thought you were loyal to Raggedtail and us, Broken!" he snarled.

Broken lashed her tail. "If it means attacking helpless kits, then I'm not!" she spat at him. "I've lost kits before." Her amber eyes clouded over. "I know what it's like, and I won't let it happen to any other cat if I can help it."

"She's right," an orange tabby she-cat meowed. "We can't attack helpless kits who can't defend themselves."

"Who says I can't defend myself?" a dark ginger she-cat squeaked. Squirrelflight jumped to her paws bristling.

"Your apprenticeship is after the battle, dear," she mewed. Maplepaw purred with amusement.

A loud yowling chorused around the clearing. Maplepaw froze, her heart pounding with fear.

"Dewfrost!"

Snowfrost threw herself at the tomcat on top of her brother. "Keep away from him!" she cried, spitting.

"Ravenpaw!" meowed Hollypaw, leaping at her friend. "Watch out-"

A tomcat flung himself at Ravenpaw as she spoke. Maplepaw was close enough to catch his tail, and she ripped at it with her claws until he fled, yowling, from her.

Maplepaw chased him until he fled from the nursery. "Don't come back!" she yowled.

Spottedpaw flung herself past Maplepaw as she wrestled with a massive dark brown tom. Her amber eyes were wide and scared, and Maplepaw didn't understand why. What had scared Spottedpaw so much?

Maplepaw ducked the dark brown tom's massive paw as he hurled a blow at her. _There are too many of them, _she thought in panic as she glanced around at her Clanmates. _We're losing!_

A silver tabby she-cat who looked like Silverpaw padded across the clearing, her fur bristling as she glanced behind her at Raggedtail. "Come on, Raggedtail. It's your own fault you're hurt. You led the fight."

"Be quiet, Silver. I can still fight."

She lashed her tail. "Are you sure you want to keep fighting? We could just leave the Clans in peace. Things would be so much simpler." Her tail-tip swished over his face, and he charged at another cat, while Silver padded over to a quiet place in the hollow.

Maplepaw yowled in agony as the dark brown tabby tom clawed viciously at her face. She fell limp as he dragged her over, and he stumbled at the sudden deadweight. Maplepaw took the chance to scratch him across the nose and then send him squealing into the battle.

**Spottedpaw's POV:**

Spottedpaw dashed across the clearing. She could see Maplepaw staring at her, her amber eyes stretched wide.

"Dewfrost are you okay?!" Snowfrost's cry rang out clearly, and Spottedpaw hurried faster. Squirrelflight had just told her that Dewfrost was hurt bad. _Oh StarClan, please don't take another cat from us!_

"Dewfrost can you walk?" Spottedpaw asked as he reached his side. He groaned and tried to get up.

"I think so," he mewed. The third time he got to his feet and stayed on them.

"Okay good, I need you to get to the medicine den with me and Jayfeather," she meowed. He nodded weakly.

"I can do that."

"Lean on my side," she mewed. He gasped with relief and leaned against her as she helped him limp across the clearing.

"Here he is, Jayfeather." She felt relieved as she joined her mentor again, he just nodded and began patching up Dewfrost's wounds.

**Raggedtail's POV(uh, yeah, I'm kind of tired right now):P**

Raggedtail stormed past the battling cats in the hollow. He heard a yowl of shock from Lionblaze; and Strike's yowl of anger and he rushed toward the sound. One of the rogues lay on the ground. He reached the place quickly and nervously.

Dovewing was staring in horror at the body and Lionblaze shrank back. Raggedtail stared at the body in front of him.

"No, he whispered.

_He deserved it, _voice two whispered. _He killed a lot of cats, you know that._

_He was just like me, and he's _younger_! It wasn't his time to die! _voice one snapped

_Well if you hadn't started the battle he wouldn't be dead now would he? _voice two said, being sassy.

_Go away, _voice one said._ You're nothing but trouble._

_I can't, I can't, _voice two chuckled. _You're stuck with me._

Raggedtail pulled the body up, only just realizing how tired he was, and how his scratches stung.

_Call for retreat, _voice two meowed triumphantly. _And tell Bramblestar you'll never come back. _Raggedtail waited for a reply, but there was none.

_All right, fine, _he heard voice one fume. _But I'll get my revenge somehow, you can be sure of that._

"Night," he called weakly. The black tom with barely visible white stripes turned his head.

"Yes?"

"Call the rogues for retreat," Raggedtail replied heavily. "We've lost. "

"What do you want me to tell Bramblestar ?" Night growled. With a flash of anger, Raggedtail realized his anger was directed at _him_.

"You're angry at me?" he asked.

The tomcat whipped around. "Of course. You started the battle, and now one of our cats is dead."

"We'll avenge him-"

"Raggedtail, I assure you I do not want to fight another battle. Not many of out rogues want to fight either, Raggedtail. Tell me, why should they fight _your_ battles, Raggedtail?"

"I-"

"Raggedtail, _you _go find Bramblestar and apologize to him for what you have done to him. I will tell our rogues to retreat." Night turned around and began ordering the rogues to retreat.

Raggedtail padded nervously towards where Bramblestar's scent was strongest.

_Come on,_ voice two whispered. _This is what you have to do. Do it._

_Be quiet, I'll find him in my own time, _voice one snapped.

_Do you want Dovewing to kill you? She will if she can get you alone. Tigerheart will too, if he finds you, _voice two pointed out.

_Fine, I'll do it! _voice one snapped angrily. _Get your voice out of my fur._

_I can't. You're stuck with me._

"Bramblestar!" Raggedtail called. Pine stared at him through narrowed eyes.

"Retreated, huh? Ran for your mother?" she spat in disgust. "That's your problem. You attack young and old cats when they aren't paying attention to things, and then you flee when you're outnumbered."

"Quiet, Pine," he growled. "I'm your leader."

"I never asked you to fight," she snarled. "Leave me alone, O Great One."

Raggedtail's muscles tensed but he forced himself to keep on going.

"Looking for me?" A growl sounded from the shadows. Raggedtail froze, irritated. Was every cat determined to stop him?

Something crashed into his side and he kicked at it, claws unsheathed. He recognized the scent instantly.

"Tigerheart!" he spat. "What do you want with me?"

His brother kicked at him, furious. "I don't know. If you were dead it'd be better for me," Tigerheart snarled. "You've caused me so much pain. Lied to exile me for the tiny amount of time! I don't see why you shouldn't live, after killing so many cats, just to get to your revenge on Dovewing."

"Get off him, Tigerheart," Bramblestar meowed from behind him. Raggedtail felt his brother reluctantly release him. "

"I retreat. I'm never coming back. I'll gather my cats and by the next quarter moon me and my cats will be gone from your training hollow."

"Good riddance," growled Bramblestar. "It's about time you left." Raggedtail nodded uncertainly, knowing that the ThunderClan leader would be well inside his rights if he pounced on him and killed him. "We'll even give you an escort," hissed Bramblestar, gritting his teeth. "We wouldn't want you to be scared off by an angry mouse, would we?"

Dovewing nodded from beside Tigerheart. Raggedtail could tell even though he was blind in one of his eyes where Maplepaw had scratched him that she was close to her mate.

_You did it, you did it, now you have to keep your word or Night and all those against you will rip out your throat, _chanted voice two.

_And who made him do it? He would have kept fighting if you hadn't told him to,_ voice one whispered angrily.

_You made a promise, and you have to keep it, _voice two objected.

_That never stopped me before, _voice one retorted.

"Come on," snarled Dovewing, her voice thick with disgust.

**Silverpaw's POV:**

"Is the battle over?" asked Frostkit, poking her head out of the nursery.

"Yeah, we wanted to fight, but you told us _'no, you kittens are to young to fight' _," added Stonekit.

"We could've got them out of here faster than you can say 'mouse'," Mistykit piped up, her gray head sticking her head out from the branches that reinforced the nursery. Squirrelflight sat outside the nursery, giving her fur a few quick licks.

"They'll be great warriors," she meowed.

"Of course they will," Bramblestar mewed, his fur still bristling. He had taken Dovewing and Tigerheart to bring Raggedtail back to their temporary camp.

Ravenpaw picked up a sparrow from the fresh-kill pile and padded into the elders' den. Maplepaw joined him, her fur clumped where the blood had dried.

"Oh no you don't!" Jayfeather reappeared from the den, his eyes narrowed. "Maplepaw, you aren't going anywhere until I say so."

"I'm fine," she spat.

"_I'm_ your medicine cat. You're not fine until I say so," retorted Jayfeather. Maplepaw stomped over to the den. Silverpaw purred with amusement.

"You're so funny that way," she purred. "You'd be awesome working together!"

Both Jayfeather and Maplepaw's fur started to rise. Silverpaw realized she had made a mistake and her ears twitched with embarrassment.

"All right, all right, I didn't mean it!" she mewed. Briarlight dragged herself over to her.

"You fought good in the battle," she commented.

Silverpaw glanced up and stared at Briarlight, even though she couldn't see. "Admit it, Briarlight. I'll never become a warrior. I can't see, for StarClan's sake!"

Briarlight nudged her. "Think how furious Raggedtail would be if he knew how well you fought while you were blinded!" she purred.

Silverpaw bristled. "Briarlight, even Cinderheart didn't tell me anything! She's my mentor! She didn't say anything to me! I'm just a burden to the Clan!" she spat.

Briarlight stiffened. "You're a great apprentice! Just because Cinderheart hasn't complimented you for it doesn't mean you're not! You should go talk to her!"

Silverpaw looked up closer, even though she couldn't see. "Is that really true?" she growled. "Or are you just trying to make me feel better?"

Briarlight cuffed her over the ear. "I have a broken back! At least you can still walk!" she hissed. Silverpaw looked at her paws.

"Sorry, Briarlight," she mumbled.

"It's okay, just try to remember that you have the chance to become a great warrior," Briarlight reminded her. "I lost that the moment I broke my back." Longing edged her mew. "I'd do anything to get my legs back."

"Thanks."

"If you want I can go see if I can find Cinderheart," Briarlight offered.

"No, it's fine," Silverpaw sighed. "I can go find her."

**End of chapter! I hope that was long enough for you. I will post chapter 25 soon! **

**No more submitting any more cats now. The end of the story is chapter 25 but there will be a sequel to it. ;) **

**I will not spoil the story by telling you if Raggedtail dies or not. He meant his word to Bramblestar.**

**Mwahahahaha! I can't wait till the end, it will be great. **

**Also Frostkit is Mistykit & Stonekit's littermate, Willowkit is their other one. **


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: The last chapter for my story. The sequel should start in a few days. ;)**

**Uh, reviews..**

**Reviews****:**

**feathersky1357: 1)Thank you! 2) please update yours as well. I like both of them, but as you haven't gotten a lot of chapters on your story called Mapleshade's story please update that one really soon. : )**

**littleflower54276408: 1)don't worry, I couldn't end it on ch. 25 so I'll do it in this one 2) Raggedtail has gone mad. The voices in his head started when he first started(when he attempted to murder Nettlepaw)**

**Leopardstorm88: Raggedtail is mine. MINE I SAY!(**_**Hint**_**: well if he didn't die how could I end the story?**

_**Chapter 5 review**__**:**_

**Guest: no I meant Brambleclaw. I hate his new name and if you check the books you'll see that practically **_**every**_** warrior's name goes to his/her father or mother. Here's a list of a few names:**

**Tiger**_**claw**_**/ Tiger**_**star**_** & Bramble**_**claw**_**/ Bramble**_**star**_

**Gray**_**stripe**_** & Bumble**_**stripe**_** (but if you check the book called "Fading Echoes" in the allegiances it will call him Bumbleflight. **

**Tawny**_**pelt **_**& Dawn**_**pelt**_

**White**_**wing **_**& Dove**_**wing**_

**Fern**_**cloud **_**& Ice**_**cloud**_

**And a bunch of other names, but I'm too lazy to type them all out**

_**Chapter 9 review**__**:**_

**Anonymity: read the next chapter and find out**

**Story.., Spottedleaf's POV**

Spottedpaw stretched and stumbled to her paws. Jayfeather stood over her, his tail twitching with irritation.

"I see you're _finally _awake," he growled, staring at her hard in the face. "In case you haven't forgotten, we have to check the cats who were in the battle and see if we need to tend to their wounds."

Spottedpaw flicked her ears. "At least the battle's finally over, which means we don't have to worry about any fighting for a long, long time," she mewed.

Jayfeather sniffed. "At least until the Clans decide they need more territory," he growled. He leaned down and sniffed Thornclaw's leg. "I don't know of a medicine cat with a lazier apprentice than you," he meowed. Spottedpaw looked at him sharply for a moment, then, seeing that he was joking, turned to go make a new poultice for Thornclaw's leg. Jayfeather purred in amusement when she tripped over the twigs beside her nest.

"Hey!" she meowed. Suddenly a loud yowling broke out, but not from any warrior that Spottedpaw knew of. She pricked her ears in surprise, and realized it was Squirrelflight's kits. She dropped the half-chewed poultice and raced out of the den, followed by Jayfeather.

"Intruders!" squeaked Frostkit. "Take another step forward, and we'll tear your tails off!"

"Yeah, our Clan beat you!" chimed in Willowkit, fluffing out her tabby fur bristling.

"What -" Jayfeather began as he detected the scent.

"Bramblestar! Bramblestar!" Mistykit yowled, as Stonekit barreled after her. "The rogues came back! They're waiting at the thorn barrier! Frostkit and Willowkit are trying to hold them off!"

"What in StarClan's name-?" Bramblestar hurried towards the stone barrier. "What are they doing _here_?"

Spottedpaw couldn't blame his disgusted tone. The rogues had attacked too many times to be excused already. What compassion could they expect from him?

"Bramblestar, this is not an attack," a silver tabby she-cat mewed. "I swear by anything you hold sacred. This is the part of his rogues who hates Raggedtail as much as you. Allow me to introduce them to you."

Bramblestar nodded, though he still looked suspicious.

"I am Silver," the tabby meowed. "This is Pine"- she flicked her tail toward an orange

Tabby she-cat with a white belly- "and this is Lichen." she flicked her tail to a brown-and-gray tabby tom with white markings. "That's Broken, this is Juniper, that's Wish" -she paused to take a deep breath. "That's Furze. Two of her kits died attacking RiverClan."

A long-furred tortoiseshell she-cat with amber-green eyes stepped forward. "I do not wish to lose any more of my kits in any battle," she growled.

"That's Flight, and that's Robin." Silver flicked her tail. "That's Jay- he is what you would call an apprentice. Holly is too. That's Russet, that's Kestrel, that's Jade, that's Melody, and that's Tiger-" she pointed her tail at a orange tom with a scarred pelt. "He shows up mean and cunning, but he's really soft on the inside. Then there are Cloud, North, Jackal, Dragon, and Strike. And last, Snowflake, Ariona, and Blood." Silver dipped her head. "We want to drive Raggedtail out as much as any of you, and we'll help if you would like, Bramblestar."

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes; Spottedpaw could tell he was thinking hard about what he had said to him. Then at last to her relief, he nodded.

"ThunderClan will fight alongside you to drive out Raggedtail and his rogues," he meowed at last. "We will drive him out today, to put an end to his rebellion and menace. Silver, you and your friends may stay here."

"We have to attack _now_!" protested Jay. "Raggedtail will be expecting you to drive him out."

"Open attack is your only hope," added Holly, his sister.

"Leave it to the older cats," growled Tiger, trying his best to act like a mentor.

"Leave them, Tiger," Blood meowed. "They're right, you know."

Tiger shot his sister a dirty look, which quickly melted into amusement. "Fine," he muttered.

"We really should attack now," Pine meowed. "Come on." Flight shoved her. "Be quiet, Pine! Bramblestar will let you know when he's ready."

"We'll come with you now," Bramblestar meowed. "I'll organize a patrol to come with you. Wait here." He turned back and began to rouse the warriors.

"Thank you!" Holly gave an excited bounce. Jay shoved her. "Shut up, Holly!" he growled.

"Thanks," Spottedpaw meowed. "He's caused a lot of trouble." Silver glanced at her, her green eyes wet with emotion.

"He has caused your Clan great losses," she meowed. "And for that I am sorry."

Spottedpaw looked up at her. "Did he ever do anything to you?" she asked curiously.

"He sent us into many battle, and like I told you, Furze lost two of her kits battling RiverClan." Silver stared past the barrier into the woods. "I don't know how I could have been so blind to his faults when he gathered the rogues. We were mates for a while."

"He was your mate?" Spottedpaw asked.

"For a little while, until I realized what he had done. He then forced me to become their medicine cat."

"We're ready," meowed Bramblestar, padding up to them. "We are ready for the final battle."

Spottedpaw stared at Maplepaw, her fur tingling with a weird feeling. She thought she had seen this cat before.. And _before _she had been born.

….. … … …

**Mapleshade's POV:**

Maplepaw padded after the rogues, her paws tingling with excitement. This would be the first attack ThunderClan had launched since before she was born. She would tear Raggedtail's throat out, she would claw his liver out, she would rip him to shreds until there was nothing left to join the Dark Forest..

"Wait up," she called as she raced across the grass.

"We're closer to our temporary camp right now," called Pine. "Just a little bit farther." Cloud leaned close to her.

"They know where it is. It's where they train," she whispered. Pine pulled away, a look of disgust an her face.

"I heard that perfectly, Cloud, without you pushing your stinking muzzle in my face," she grumbled. Cloud bristled.

"I don't stink, you do," she hissed irritably.

"Shut _up_!" hissed Strike, unsheathing his claws. Maplepaw could see he was within a heartbeat away from fighting.

"Thanks Strike," Cloud muttered indignantly.

"All right, we're here," Blood meowed. Broken flicked her tail nervously.

Cinderheart nodded, tense, and Maplepaw could see Silverpaw's ears flicking nervously.

_Poor Silverpaw,_ Maplepaw thought. _She's just not used to fighting. After all, she hasn't fought for a long time, except for the battle yesterday._

"I have an idea," meowed Jackal. "We can come in with just one or two of the ThunderClan cats and say they're our prisoners." Cloud, Dragon, and North congratulated her warmly, but Wish, Pine, Juniper, Lichen, Furze, Russet, and Kestrel just looked ahead, paws churning the ground.

"Maplepaw, Silverpaw, and Featherpaw," decided Broken. "Those are the ones he wants the most, so they'll attract his attention. The rest of you, hide in the ferns over there.

"Good idea," agreed Furze, her gaze scanning the ground in the hollow. "Okay, now." she mewed.

"Furze, Cloud, Strike, and Broken, you surround them as if they're your prisoners," meowed Silver. Maplepaw looked up at her, wondering if she was choosing them deliberately because Furze didn't like Cloud or Strike, but her gaze was carefully neutral, giving nothing away. "We attack when I give the call," she added to the others. "Just Raggedtail and those who defend him, though. " The cats nodded.

Strike shoved her roughly ahead, she glanced up in shock.

"Come on, scum," he taunted. Maplepaw glanced at Silverpaw and Featherpaw, who seemed as shocked as she was.

Cloud and Broken shoved at Featherpaw and Silverpaw as they padded down to the hollow. Furze's paws worked restlessly as she pushed and shoved at Maplepaw.

"Raggedtail, we found three cats trespassing on your territory," meowed Strike. "We brought them here for justice to be done."

Raggedtail's eyes opened wider in shock. "You did?" he growled. Maplepaw studied his face more and saw with triumph the scratch she had blinded one of his eyes with the day before.

"They're all right here," Strike meowed triumphantly. "Broken, move and show him the prisoners."

The black she-cat with amber eyes moved aside. "Here they are, Raggedtail."

Maplepaw tried to look like she was angry and ashamed at being brought to an unjust leader, but she was triumphant that their plan was working.

"Thank you," the dark brown tabby grunted. "I'll find them a den to sleep in. Tomorrow they can fight each other to the death."

The ruthless tom shoved them toward an old worn-out den. Featherpaw glanced at Maplepaw, who gave her a tiny nod in return. _It's working!_

At the same time they reached the old den, Maplepaw saw Silver raise her tail as a signal. Instantly the cats rushed into the camp, yowling as if a hoard of badgers were after them.

Raggedtail's friends raced to defend him, while Pine and Wish dodged them to get at him. He yowled in alarm as their paws raked his face, and instantly he shrieked at his rogues to come and defend him and forget the other rogues.

Night lashed his tail. "I told you that you shouldn't have attacked them," he snarled. "Then they wouldn't have come to attack us."

"Autumn is hurt!" yowled a white she-cat**(Dewdrop)**, then turned and snarled at Featherpaw, sending her across the clearing with a vicious scratch on the nose.

Silver padded towards Autumn, acting as if she was still with the rogues. But by the look in her eyes, she only wanted Raggedtail dead. Maplepaw instinctively swiped at another cat, sending him yowling among the rogues.

"Raggedtail!" yowled a white she-cat, and dashed across the clearing towards him. Maplepaw realized she was Raggedtail's mate and felt sorry for her for a moment as she raked her claws across Venom's face. He gave her a vicious kick before flying into the battle with a yowl.

"Raggedtail!" Maplepaw jumped at him, clawing at his face furiously, not caring where she hit as long as it hurt him. He spat furiously and kicked at her muzzle. She lifted it and bit his nose until he yowled, then she raked her claws across his back.

"YES!" screeched Silverpaw as she landed a blow to a dark brown tom-cat's face. "I got a hit!" Then she was knocked to the ground. Maplepaw felt a mixture of amusement and fury. No cat was going to hurt her sister ever again. She shoved Raggedtail off her body and raced towards her sister. As she did, a massive tom-cat rolled her to the ground.

"It's no use," she whispered. "We're going to lose." At the same moment, she was knocked out.

Maplepaw blinked open her eyes, confused at what she saw. She had been knocked out in battle, right, so why wasn't she in a battling clearing?

"Maplepaw," mewed a tortoiseshell she-kit. Maplepaw stared at her, trying to remember if she had seen this cat before, but she couldn't. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Petalkit," She frowned. Her tiny kit face hadn't grown since she had been born, but she seemed to have in the way she spoke; she sounded as if she knew a lot more.

"Petalkit?" she repeated, confused. "Why are you here? What do you have to tell me? I was fighting.." She broke off confusedly. "Why am _I _here?"

Petalkit blinked. "You have to win this battle, but try not to kill any cat like what happened in the last battle. If Raggedtail dies, then that's okay, because he has murdered so many in the Clan"- she flicked her tiny tail, indicating for Maplepaw to look in that direction.

"Sandstorm.., and Blossomstripe.., and Dustpelt too," Maplepaw mewed. "What are you trying to tell me though? Is there any other way to defeat Raggedtail?"

Petalkit looked up at Maplepaw. "Yes, there is," she meowed.

"What, then?" asked Maplepaw.

"Kill Raggedtail," Blossomstripe meowed. "Or at least injure him really bad. Silver will take care of the rest."

"Let me wake up then," Maplepaw pleaded. "We're losing, I can't be knocked out for the whole battle!"

"Wake then, and may the rest of StarClan be with you," Sandstorm murmured. Maplepaw opened her eyes to see a massive brown tom battling with Silverpaw.

Hissing, she hurled herself at him. "No one messes with my sister!" she spat, hooking her claws around his face, digging them deep into the skin. He yowled in surprise and let go of Silverpaw, only to start fighting Maplepaw, but she didn't care. Ducking, she knocked him over with a swift blow to the head and climbed onto his back, curling her claws deep into the skin.

"Retreat!" yowled Night. "There are too many, we're losing. Raggedtail was blinded.. he's injured really bad.. And it's not ThunderClan's fault that they attacked and hurt us, we asked for it. If Raggedtail hadn't led the fight in the first place, none of this would have happened."

"He's right!" yowled Cloud. "This is Raggedtail's fault! Blame him!"

Maplepaw slid off her opponent, happiness welling in her throat. The final battle had been fought, and peace had come.

"Come on," mewed Brightheart. "We're going home."

_It's over, and peace has come._ Maplepaw followed her Clanmates slowly back to camp.

**Dovewing's POV:**

**A/N: Raggedtail is now blind so he can't see.**

Dovewing stretched her senses out. The patrol Bramblestar had sent to fight the rogue cats had returned a while ago, announcing that everything had gone well. A growling reached her ears from the rogues' camp. Fury surged through her from nose to tail-tip.

_Raggedtail._

"I'm dying," he grunted to Silver. "Give me something for the pain."

"All right, I will." Silver's voice turned icy cold, and despite her hatred for the dark brown tabby tomcat, Dovewing couldn't help wondering what the rogues' medicine cat was going to do to him.

"Here." The silver tabby pushed some bright red berries forward.

_Deathberries!_

Raggedtail padded closer. "What is it, Silver?"

"Eat them, and your pain will go away forever," Silver meowed harshly.

The dark brown tabby tom obediently licked up the berries. Silver watched as he finished. "There," he growled.

"Good," Silver meowed. Her fur bristled as the tomcat sniffed around. A few heartbeats later his body was attacked by a hard spasm.

"What have you done, fool?" he demanded. "I can't move. Can't do.."

"Well, in your temporary pain, you'll be happy to know I had your kits," Silver meowed. The dark brown tabby tom let out a harsh sound of laughter.

"Spiders have spun webs in your brain, idiot," he grunted. "Medicine cats never have kits."

"I was your mate for a while," Silver mewed. "I gave my kits to Salainen. That's who's kits she's nursing now. She knows that they're mine."

"Don't be an idiot, Silver. Salainen has never lied to me-" His body spasmed again, harder this time, and again. His voice rose to a screech. "What have you done?! I can't move.. can't breathe.." Silver watched coldly as his body spasmed again.

"I fed you deathberries, Raggedtail. No cat will be hurt from you ever again."

"What"- He spasmed again, and his medicine cat walked away from him while his body was attacked harshly by spasms. Dovewing stretched her senses to track down Silver. She found the silver medicine cat as she approached the den where a few rogues were sleeping.

"Raggedtail is dead, Night," she announced. "We leave now."

Night scrambled to his paws. "About time we left," he meowed. To the rogues in their temporary camp he yowled.

"Out of camp! We're leaving."

The rogues padded obediently out of the training hollow, and Dovewing had her senses trained on them until they left ThunderClan's territory. She padded towards Bramblestar, relief tingling in her paws.

"Raggedtail is dead."

…...

**Narrator's POV:**

**A/U: This is when StarClan tells Mapleshade and Spottedleaf about their second chance.**

Maplepaw opened her eyes.

"Mapleshade." The ginger-and-white she-cat apprentice looked around and spotted a thick tangle-furred dark gray she-cat.

"You have done well in your second chance," she murmured.

"What?" Maplepaw meowed. "What second chance?"

"In your previous life, Mapleshade, you were evil, and that is why you were given a second chance. You had kits with a RiverClan tom, and when ThunderClan found out, they rebuked you. You carried them across the river, but two of them drowned. In your Dark Forest life you killed Spottedleaf, and that is why you were both given a second chance."

"I killed her..?" Maplepaw whispered. "Why did I do that?"

"It was a tweak in your destiny, Mapleshade," the gray she-cat meowed. "But if you continue to do what you have done for ThunderClan, you will become a long-respected warrior. Ignore your past, concentrate on the future. That past is over now, and you have the chance to become the warrior you should have been."

**A/N: All right! That's the end of the story! You can keep yourselves braced for the sequel, coming soon.(and any other story I might think of).**


End file.
